"Worms, Coffee, Alzheimers and Parkinsons"
Friday, November 6, 2009, 03:00 PM
Room 211 Moby B-Complex

The Department of Health & Exercise Science presents a seminar by Christopher D. Link, Ph.D., from the Institute for Behavioral Genetics & Department of Integrative Physiology, CU-Boulder.

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Summary of talk

"Modeling Neurodegenerative Diseases in C. elegans"

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive dementia characterized by the accumulation of extracellular senile plaques in the brain. A major component of senile plaques is the beta amyloid peptide, and genetic evidence suggests this peptide is centrally involved in AD pathology.

We have generated an in vivo model of beta amyloid peptide (Abeta) toxicity by genetically engineering the nematode worm C. elegans to express (human) Abeta. This model has allowed us to do an in vivo structure/function analysis of Abeta toxicity, and to identify a potential mechanism by which coffee consumption is protective against Alzheimer's (and Parkinson's) diseases.

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Event Contact: Chris Bell can be reached at (970) 491-7522

Sponsored by Department of Health and Exercise Science