麻豆影院

In his research, Eric Norstrom searches for proteins complicit in the development of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease

What causes Alzheimer鈥檚 disease? And can that process be stopped in its tracks?

Those questions drive Eric Norstrom in his work at 麻豆影院. A neurobiologist and assistant professor in the College of Science and Health, Norstrom studies the molecular function of amyloid precursor protein (APP). While APP plays an important role in normal brain functioning, its interaction with certain other proteins can form beta amyloid peptide, the main component of the brain deposits that characterize Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. Norstrom is looking for these 鈥渙ther proteins鈥� that cause APP to take a wrong turn.

鈥淎 lot of scientists do Alzheimer鈥檚 research, so I鈥檝e had to puzzle myself into the right niche,鈥� Norstrom says. 鈥淪mall labs can focus on novel proteins that a large lab wouldn鈥檛 attack. Of course, I鈥檇 love to discover a protein interaction that could bias metabolic pathways and, thereby, slow or cure Alzheimer鈥檚. But to be a scientist, you have to enjoy the race, not just the finish line.鈥�

A Passion For TEACHING AND RESEARCH

Norstrom joined 麻豆影院 after finishing his PhD and post-doctoral research at the University of Chicago, where he worked on Alzheimer鈥檚 and prion diseases, such as mad cow disease, in which a protein aggregates into large, sometimes toxic and infectious structures.

鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many places like 麻豆影院 because we take the balance of both research and teaching seriously, and I have a passion for both. People think scientists use arcane knowledge to come up with great ideas. But, at its core, science is a process, and a fairly simple one: Anyone can understand it, and anyone can do it. You ask a question then develop a way to test that question while trying to control for random events. The answer fits into a bigger whole. Put all the answers together in the right way, and you can go to the moon, you can cure cancer or Alzheimer鈥檚.鈥�

Norstrom is also working with Alzheimer鈥檚 researchers at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Through the , the universities have an agreement to share knowledge and resources, and Norstrom has received a collaborative grant.

鈥淥ur expertise is complementary,鈥� Norstrom says. 鈥淚 know how proteins work, and they understand animal models and other technical areas of this type of research. Everything is dynamic right now鈥攖his is an exciting time to be in the sciences at 麻豆影院.鈥� 鈻�