Ep. 41: Alzheimer’s Disease Research roundtable with Drs. Cynthia Lemere, Charles Glabe, and Lea T. Grinberg
12/20/18 • 57 min
This week’s episode marks the 2nd of a series focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. All episodes were recorded in San Diego, CA, where Connor Wander attended the BrightFocus Alzheimer’s Disease Fast Track conference, followed by the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting.
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a well-known conference, drawing 28 thousand people annually. In contrast, AD Fast Track is a much smaller conference put on by BrightFocus, a foundation built to support AD and glaucoma research and awareness. Many of the speakers at the event were directly supported by BrightFocus (Lamb, Brinton, Head, Grinberg).
Alzheimer’s disease research is reinventing itself in the wake of past failures. New understandings of disease complexity, paired with recent advances in technology and a renewed surge in funding for research fuels new hope for a cure or treatment. Yet we aren’t putting all our eggs in one basket. This series will explore Alzheimer’s disease research and the variety of research strategies with the common goal of curing Alzheimer’s disease.
In This Episode
Listen in to a roundtable with Drs. Cynthia Ann Lemere, Charles Glabe, and Lea T. Grinberg to learn about current research on the causes and possible treatments for Alzheimer's Disease. We also discuss possible misrepresentations of the Amyloid cascade hypothesis, as well as applications of 3D printing in brain scan models.
Special thanks to all podcasts guests and to Martha and Rachel from BrightFocus!
More Information
Listen to a brief summary of Alzheimer’s disease signs and symptoms with Dr. Diane Bovenkamp.
Find more quick chats on the BrightFocus Foundation website, including some tips and support for Alzheimer’s disease caregivers.
The Amyloid cascade hypothesis is commonly discussed in Episode 41: Alzheimer’s disease roundtable.
Listen to a discussion of Amyloid beta’s putative role as an ancient ant-microbial peptide in the brain in Episode 13: Amyloid Beta: Villain, or Hero in Alzheimer’s Disease?
This possible role for Amyloid beta is important in the Amyloid cascade hypothesis; the idea that amyloid beta is the first thing to go wrong in AD, and triggers a chain reaction causing tau to aggregate and kill neurons. This is a commonly discussed hypothesis in Alzheimer’s research, and is often referenced in this series.
Learn more with a detailed infographic on the Amyloid cascade hypothesis. It’s in a perspective piece discussing the recent developments in AD research by Biogen, and Eisai, two companies working on Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics like such as anti-amyloid or anti-tau antibodies, which have shown some promise in AD clinical trials.
For more in-depth analysis of developments in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases, check out Alzforum.org for Alzheimer’s disease background reading.
Read about and see images of protein maps in the human brain that help identify markers of brain disease.
Any other questions? Let us know! We appreciate your feedback.
You can now support the podcast at https://www.patreon.com/sfspodcast. Many thanks to our past and present supporters!
Thanks to
This week’s episode marks the 2nd of a series focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. All episodes were recorded in San Diego, CA, where Connor Wander attended the BrightFocus Alzheimer’s Disease Fast Track conference, followed by the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting.
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a well-known conference, drawing 28 thousand people annually. In contrast, AD Fast Track is a much smaller conference put on by BrightFocus, a foundation built to support AD and glaucoma research and awareness. Many of the speakers at the event were directly supported by BrightFocus (Lamb, Brinton, Head, Grinberg).
Alzheimer’s disease research is reinventing itself in the wake of past failures. New understandings of disease complexity, paired with recent advances in technology and a renewed surge in funding for research fuels new hope for a cure or treatment. Yet we aren’t putting all our eggs in one basket. This series will explore Alzheimer’s disease research and the variety of research strategies with the common goal of curing Alzheimer’s disease.
In This Episode
Listen in to a roundtable with Drs. Cynthia Ann Lemere, Charles Glabe, and Lea T. Grinberg to learn about current research on the causes and possible treatments for Alzheimer's Disease. We also discuss possible misrepresentations of the Amyloid cascade hypothesis, as well as applications of 3D printing in brain scan models.
Special thanks to all podcasts guests and to Martha and Rachel from BrightFocus!
More Information
Listen to a brief summary of Alzheimer’s disease signs and symptoms with Dr. Diane Bovenkamp.
Find more quick chats on the BrightFocus Foundation website, including some tips and support for Alzheimer’s disease caregivers.
The Amyloid cascade hypothesis is commonly discussed in Episode 41: Alzheimer’s disease roundtable.
Listen to a discussion of Amyloid beta’s putative role as an ancient ant-microbial peptide in the brain in Episode 13: Amyloid Beta: Villain, or Hero in Alzheimer’s Disease?
This possible role for Amyloid beta is important in the Amyloid cascade hypothesis; the idea that amyloid beta is the first thing to go wrong in AD, and triggers a chain reaction causing tau to aggregate and kill neurons. This is a commonly discussed hypothesis in Alzheimer’s research, and is often referenced in this series.
Learn more with a detailed infographic on the Amyloid cascade hypothesis. It’s in a perspective piece discussing the recent developments in AD research by Biogen, and Eisai, two companies working on Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics like such as anti-amyloid or anti-tau antibodies, which have shown some promise in AD clinical trials.
For more in-depth analysis of developments in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases, check out Alzforum.org for Alzheimer’s disease background reading.
Read about and see images of protein maps in the human brain that help identify markers of brain disease.
Any other questions? Let us know! We appreciate your feedback.
You can now support the podcast at https://www.patreon.com/sfspodcast. Many thanks to our past and present supporters!
Thanks to
Previous Episode
Ep. 40: Roundtable on the Importance of Science Communication with Dan and Gabe from TheSciCommunity
To honor our recent collaboration with TheSciCommunity, we sat down with the founders Dan and Gabe and discussed the importance of science communication. Dan and Gabe share their values and mission to spread science in a transparent and direct way. Also in this episode, we discuss our pathways into science, how to improve the dialogue between scientists and the public, and fake news. We also talk about the Skype A Scientist program that connects scientists with classrooms around the world. Finally, we answer the question: Is scicomm enough?
About Dan
Dan is a science writer and founder of Instagram's theSciCommunity, a science-centered networking page that strives to bring scientists and science enthusiasts from all over the world together to share their love of the STEAM fields. Dan strives to prove to as many people willing to listen that science is for everyone.
Connect with Dan on Instagram.
About Gabe
Gabe Santos is a paleontologist from Los Angeles, California where he is the Collections Manager and Outreach Coordinator for the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. As Collections Manager, Gabe is responsible for the care, cataloging, and organization of the Alf Museum’s research fossils. Also as Outreach Coordinator, he organizes the museum’s outreach and education programs, such as Skype in the Classroom and Discovery Days. Gabe also assists in teaching the Museum After School program. He received his B.Sc. in biology at University of California-Irvine, and his M.Sc. in geology at California State University-Fullerton. His research interests focus on the Eocene vertebrate fauna of Southern California and the paleobiology of marine mammals, particularly in the extinct hippo-like desmostylians. Gabe is also an active science communicator and co-founder of the Cosplay for Science Initiative, which connects pop culture with science education to make science more relatable and scientists more approachable.
Connect with Gabe on Instagram.
Also check out Cosplay for Science.
More Information
Follow even more awesome science communicators on Instagram
Want to learn more about science communication? Listen to Episode 20: Biomedical Engineering and Science Education with Stephanie Teeter to hear a discussion about difficulties in science education recorded at ComSciCon Triangle.
Any other questions? Let us know! We appreciate your feedback.
You can now support the podcast at https://www.patreon.com/sfspodcast. Many thanks to our past and present supporters!
Thanks to Plant Warrior for their support. Use discount code SFS10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase of plant-based protein.
Next Episode
Ep. 42: Neuronal Apoptosis- The Cautious and the Willing with Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh and Connor Wander
This episode is all about neuronal apoptosis. In Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh's eyes, some cells are willing to undergo apoptosis, while others are very cautious. Understanding these differences could be the key to understanding, treating, or curing diseases that haunt us in modern times. Research in Dr. Deshmukh’s lab at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, focuses on pathways for neuronal apoptosis and the ways that survival and death work in different cells.
Apoptosis is programmed cell death. In apoptosis, cells commit "suicide" quietly to minimize inflammation and damage to their neighbors. Apoptosis is a normal and vital process which helps protect us from cancer and other disease states. However, it becomes a problem in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS. When it comes to apoptosis, neurons are special. Neuronal apoptosis seems to be distinct from other cell types.
Listen in to hear how neurons resist triggers that would kill other cells. Also learn about the difference between apoptosis and necrosis, as well as how that understanding has changed over time. We discuss the importance of synaptic pruning. Finally, we speculate some on the possible presence and effect of bacteria in the brain.
About Dr. Deshmukh
Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh is a Professor of Cell Biology & Physiology and the Neuroscience Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Visit the Deshmukh Lab website to learn more about current research.
Also follow the Deshmukh Lab on Instagram.
More Information
To get a background of apoptosis in other cells, check out Episode 23: The Role of Apoptosis with Georgia Smith. She tells us about apoptosis in the context of influenza.
Any other questions? Let us know! We appreciate your feedback.
You can now support the podcast at https://www.patreon.com/sfspodcast. Many thanks to our past and present supporters!
Thanks to Plant Warrior for their support. Use discount code SFS10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase of plant-based protein.
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