Aimee Kao, MD, PhD

Professor in Residence
Department of Neurology
[email protected]
[email protected]
Research Overview: 

Despite intensive research efforts, many of the basic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases remain unclear.  We are tackling this problem by focusing on how aging, stress, gene variants and mutations alter protein homeostasis and lysosome function to predispose to neurodegeneration. Our recent work includes studies on the normal and abnormal metabolism of tau, TDP-43, progranulin and alpha-synuclein with a focus on how they are degraded by the proteases in the lysosome. We also consider how the lysosome function is regulated, including via pH set point and protease maturation.

For a recent overview of some of our work, please watch the video at this link. 

Primary Thematic Area: 
Neurobiology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Human Genetics
Research Summary: 
Pathophysiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Aging, Stress, Lysosomes and Protein Homeostasis.
Mentorship Development: 

4/26/19    Sharpening your Mentoring Skills (SyMS) with Sharon Milgram (Mission Bay)    
11/23/20    Building Community in the UCSF MSTP 
9/11/20    Mentoring Across Differences
2/18/21    Three Truths and Three Tries: Facing and Overcoming Critical Social Justice Challenges at the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Levels    

Websites

Publications: 

Correction: Mutations in α-synuclein, TDP-43 and tau prolong protein half-life through diminished degradation by lysosomal proteases.

Molecular neurodegeneration

Sampognaro PJ, Arya S, Knudsen GM, Gunderson EL, Sandoval-Perez A, Hodul M, Bowles K, Craik CS, Jacobson MP, Kao AW

Mutations in a-synuclein, TDP-43 and tau prolong protein half-life through diminished degradation by lysosomal proteases.

Molecular neurodegeneration

Sampognaro PJ, Arya S, Knudsen GM, Gunderson EL, Sandoval-Perez A, Hodul M, Bowles K, Craik CS, Jacobson MP, Kao AW

Tuberous sclerosis complex is associated with a novel human tauopathy.

Acta neuropathologica

Hwang JL, Perloff OS, Gaus SE, Benitez C, Alquezar C, Cosme CQ, Nana AL, Vatsavayai SC, Ramos EM, Geschwind DH, Miller BL, Kao AW, Seeley WW

Postmortem Human Dura Mater Cells Exhibit Phenotypic, Transcriptomic and Genetic Abnormalities that Impact their Use for Disease Modeling.

Stem cell reviews and reports

Argouarch AR, Schultz N, Yang AC, Jang Y, Garcia K, Cosme CG, Corrales CI, Nana AL, Karydas AM, Spina S, Grinberg LT, Miller B, Wyss-Coray T, Abyzov A, Goodarzi H, Seeley WW, Kao AW