Ju Gao

Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable and devastating neurological disorders characterized by the progressive loss of the structure and function of neurons in the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system. Mitochondria, organelles found in most eukaryotic cells, are essential for neuronal survival and are involved in neuronal functions. Although mitochondrial dysfunction has long been demonstrated as a common prominent early pathological feature of a variety of common neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease (HD), the causes of mitochondrial dysfunction in these diseases remain largely unknown. My research focuses on why mitochondrial function declines with advancing age and how to repair and reverse age-related mitochondrial dysfunction. I am focusing on the discovery of novel mechanisms causing mitochondrial dysfunction during aging and development of therapeutic strategies for potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, I am studying TDP-43 phase separation and exploring its contributions to the brain function.