Posted on January 17, 2025 in ASRC News, Nanoscience Initiative, Neuroscience Initiative
Two researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) are leading groundbreaking efforts to address some of society’s most pressing challenges: Alzheimer’s disease and plastic pollution. Recent prestigious grants awarded to these scientists highlight the transformative potential of their work.
Fighting Alzheimer’s by Understanding Brain Immune Cells
Pinar Ayata, a professor with ASRC’s Neuroscience Initiative, has received a five-year National Institutes of Health grant of up to $2.4 million to investigate the role of microglia—the brain’s primary immune cells—in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a devastating illness affecting millions, yet effective treatments remain elusive.
“Microglia play a key role in maintaining brain health, but changes in these cells over a person’s lifetime may contribute to Alzheimer’s development,” Ayata said. “My lab is exploring how microglia are altered through epigenetic processes—changes in gene expression without altering DNA—and whether these changes trigger the onset of the disease.
Ayata’s research focuses on a stress response in microglia known as the integrated stress response (ISR). In a recently published study, her team discovered that ISR renders microglia neurodegenerative. By studying how repeated induction of ISR may gradually reprogram these cells in harmful ways when exposed to Alzheimer’s risk factors, Ayata aims to uncover new mechanisms driving the disease and identify potential targets for innovative treatments. Her work offers hope for understanding and ultimately mitigating the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Creating Plastics That Break Down Safely
On another front, Christopher DelRe, a professor with ASRC’s Nanoscience Initiative, is working to help solve the environmental crisis posed by plastic waste. With a National Science Foundation CAREER Award of up to $650,000, DelRe is developing a new class of biodegradable plastics that could revolutionize how we use and dispose of these materials.
“Plastics are integral to modern life, from food packaging to high-performance applications like electronics and body armor,” DelRe said. “However, most plastics are made from a narrow range of chemical building blocks, making them hard to recycle, repurpose, or degrade safely.”
DelRe’s innovative approach involves creating plastics from natural biological molecules. By linking short biomolecules into long polymer chains in specific sequences, his team can design plastics with tailored properties for different uses. Importantly, these plastics are designed to break down safely in soil or water, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastics.
This work has the potential to transform industries by creating materials that are renewable, biodegradable, and versatile, addressing the plastic waste problem while maintaining the benefits of this indispensable material.
Advancing Science for a Better Future
Ayata’s and DelRe’s work showcases the real-world impact of fundamental research. By tackling challenges as varied as neurodegenerative diseases and environmental sustainability, these scientists exemplify how bench science can drive meaningful solutions to global problems.