Clayton Lab

Losing brain connections in neurodegenerative disease

Synapses, the connections between neurons, play a critical role in maintaining brain and nervous system health. Dysfunction in synaptic processes, including the synthesis and breakdown of proteins, is increasingly recognised as a key factor driving neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

The Clayton Lab focuses on dysfunction in the synthesis and breakdown of proteins at synapses as a driver of ALS and FTD. The team are investigating presynaptic proteostasis, the process by which proteins are regulated to keep a cell in a healthy state, and the impact of dysfunctional presynaptic protein synthesis and degradation on the development and progression of FTD/ALS.