Mentor Areas
My research program focuses on the interface of clinical symptoms and underlying neuropathology in neurodegenerative disease. The purpose of this approach is to better identify clinically, pathologically and genetically homogeneous patient populations for inclusion into clinical trials to efficiently study emerging disease modifying treatments that target the pathogenic proteins specific for each neuropathological subtype of disease (e.g. FTLD-associated with tau or TDP-43 protein inclusions).
Description:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by deposition of tau protein into tangles which cause neurodegeneration. Typical Alzheimer's disease involves early memory difficulties and relates to tau tangles in the hippocampus. In younger patients, Alzheimer's disease results in focal degeneration of cortical regions that often spare the hippocampus and do not involve memory loss, making it difficult to diagnose. Here we will use digital imaging of histology, together with antemortem PET Tau and MRI data, to model the progression of tau pathology in these non-amnestic AD patients to develop better tests to diagnose the disease during life.
Responsibilities include: cutting and staining tissue, using and developing computer algorithms to detect and measure microscopic pathology from histology sections.
Preferred Qualifications
Basic pre-med or biomedical engineering major background.
Project Website
Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here. Penn Digital Neuropathology Lab (DNPL)
Details:
Preferred Student Year
Second-Year, Junior, Senior
Academic Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
No
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.