image_alt_text
5

Christina Chan, Ph.D.

AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2012
For pioneering work in applying bioinformatics and systems biology techniques to understanding cellular processes dysregulated by fatty acids.

New Finding May Slow Spread of Alzheimer’s Disease

Via Michigan State University | July 10, 2013

In what could be a step toward slowing the spread of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain, a team of researchers from Michigan State University found that a particular substance, when injected into mice, lowers levels of a peptide linked to the disease.

The scientists found that when a compound known as L-cylcoserine was injected into mice that were genetically altered to have the disease pathology, it significantly lowered their levels of a peptide that creates plaques in the brain – a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

“This could be a possible therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Hirosha Geekiyanage, a recent graduate of MSU’s Genetics Program who conducted the research in the laboratory of Christina Chan, professor of chemical engineering and material science. Both are members of the research team.