{"id":2,"date":"2014-11-21T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2014-11-21T14:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress-4.0.1\/wordpress\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2026-06-21T18:53:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T23:53:09","slug":"sample-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.burrelab.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=2","title":{"rendered":"Research"},"content":{"rendered":"
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OUR MISSION<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Burr\u00e9 lab is interested in understanding pathogenic events at the neuronal synapse that trigger synaptopathies, with a focus on neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. We envision that defining early pathological events at the synapse will provide new avenues for preventing and\/or treating neurological and neurodegenerative diseases in humans.<\/p>\n

GOALS<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Neurons communicate via release of neurotransmitters from presynaptic terminals. This requires intact functioning of the protein expression and trafficking machinery, of mitochondria to meet a synapses\u2019 need for energy, of the proteasome\/ubiquitin system and lysosomes to clear aged and misfolded proteins, and of the synaptic vesicle cycle to mediate continuous neurotransmission. Much evidence points to presynaptic terminals as initiation site for specific neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson\u2019s disease and SNAREopathies, where synaptic dysfunction has been shown to precede neuron death and to occur long before neuropathological symptoms become apparent. Yet, virtually nothing is known about processes involved.<\/p>\n

\"\"We are specifically interested in neurological diseases linked to the dysfunction of the synaptic SNARE proteins synaptobrevin-2\/VAMP2, SNAP-25 and syntaxin-1, as well as of their chaperones alpha-synuclein, CSPalpha and Munc18-1\/STXBP1. SNARE proteins are essential components of the neurotransmitter release machinery, and mutations in SNARE proteins or their chaperones lead to devastating diseases – termed SNAREopathies<\/span><\/strong> – which include symptoms ranging from neurodegeneration to intellectual disability and epilepsy, among others. These devastating diseases are currently intractable to treatment, and symptomatic relief is currently the only available relief.<\/p>\n

Synucleinopathies<\/strong><\/span> include a wide range of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and Multiple system atrophy. In addition, aggregation of alpha-synuclein is also a co-pathology of many other disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and ALS. The Burr\u00e9 lab focuses on understanding the physiological functions of alpha-, beta- and gamma-synucleins at the neuronal synapse, and aims to identify how both loss of function and gain of function of the synucleins contributes to disease.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong>For all disorders, we are exploring the underlying disease mechanisms at the molecular level, many of which remain unknown. Once identified, we utilize the knowledge gained to develop targeted therapeutic strategies in collaboration with our clinicians and family foundations, with the ultimate goal to translate our findings to human therapies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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CURRENT PROJECTS<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n