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The interest of the lab lies in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's Diseases and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. We are studying potential mechanisms through which such conditions may initiate and propagate within the nervous system, with the hope that, if these mechanisms are identified, they can be potential targets for neuroprotective therapies. The pathophysiological mechanisms that are more closely studied include protein misfolding, protein aggregation, inclusion formation and dissolution, impairment of protein degradation systems, synaptic dysfunction and neuronal cell death. These processes constitute common threads in such neurodegenerative conditions.  The group is more focused in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease (PD) and, in particular, in deciphering the link between identified genetic defects and the disease. Activities range from the study of biological material from patients afflicted with PD, up to cell culture and animal models. Models are largely based on genetic defects linked to PD, but also include more classical neurotoxin approaches, such as MPTP. Relevant biochemical pathways identified in such models are then examined in patient biological material, while insights from the study of the patients are used to develop new models.