{"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":"2023-06-06T08:14:33","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T13:14:33","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><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Burr\u00e9 lab is interested in pathogenic events at the neuronal synapse that trigger neurological disorders and neurodegeneration. 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><\/h4>\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 neurodegeneration in diseases such as Parkinson\u2019s disease and Alzheimer\u2019s disease, where synaptic dysfunction has been shown to precede neuron death and to occur long before neuropathological symptoms become apparent. In addition, several rare neurodevelopmental disorders result in synaptic dysfunction, causing epilepsy and intellectual disability in children. Yet, virtually nothing is known about processes involved.<\/p>\n

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We are very much 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 (“SNAREopathies”), ranging from neurodegeneration to intellectual disability and epilepsy. We are exploring the underlying disease mechanisms of these mutations, many of which remain unknown. Once identified, we aim to develop targeted therapeutic strategies, in collaboration with our clinicians and family foundations, with the ultimate goal to translate them to human therapies.<\/p>\n

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Current projects<\/em><\/h4>\n