Understanding protein quality control to combat protein misfolding diseases
Over 40 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, a neurological syndrome which affects memory, thought, and the ability to perform everyday activities. By 2050, this number is expected to triple. Especially the industrialized high-income countries with their aging populations will face tremendous personal and economic consequences if no effective treatments are developed.
Dementia is predominantly caused by different neurodegenerative diseases. These dementias are the fastest growing disease group among the leading causes of death in high-income countries, and are already the most expensive disease class in the Netherlands: 9,1 billion Euros or 10,3% of the national health care budget in 2017.
Although the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases vary, many of them share one feature: the accumulation of protein aggregates. Preventing protein misfolding and aggregation is therefore a promising strategy for tackling these diseases. Progress in this regard is especially important: despite the enormous suffering caused by these disorders, and the huge efforts made by academic researchers and the pharmacological industry, there is still no successful therapy for this group of devastating diseases.
An important first step in the prevention or delay of the onset of aggregate-related diseases is to understand the cellular processes that lead to the formation of aggregates, and to identify the endogenous factors that prevent their formation.
Our work consists of essential, basic research that aims at addressing these points. The scientific discoveries made through our research will expand the field of protein quality control and enrich the scientific field at large with new mechanisms, drug targets and interventions.
Research Interests