The Sampognaro Lab at UCSF investigates the pivotal contributions of lysosomal proteases and the autophagy-lysosome system to the pathogenesis of devastating neurodegenerative conditions, specifically ALS, Frontotemporal Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease.
This research is powered by advanced experimental approaches, including iPSC-derived cortical neurons, iPSC-derived motor neurons, and mature brain organoids, in conjunction with advanced biochemical techniques and confocal microscopy for detailed molecular and cellular analysis.
The core objective of the lab's work is to illuminate the mechanisms underlying lysosomal dysfunction in these diseases and thereby identify promising candidates for therapeutic development.
