Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Neurodegeneration is a broad term used for progressively diminishing function of neurons, or nerve cells. Diseases such as Alzhsimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases are all considered as neurodegenerative disease. As neurodegenerative diseases are often correlated with aging, with improved healthcare and extended life-expectancy in today's society, diseases such as Alzheimer's are becoming a prominent disability among seniors. Although early symptoms may not be readily noticeable, gradual progression of the disease usually results in a significant functional limitations which not only presents challenges to the patient but to his/her families as well. Over the years, researchers have searched for potential target gene/protein which may be regulated in order to treat such debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. Among them, one particular protein called somatostatin (SST) and somatostatin receptor (SSTR) has been gaining a lot of attention as a competent neuroprotective agent. In this application, we propose to study how neurons, both mice and human, react to damaging conditions using neurotoxins in presence or absence of SST and/or SSTR. More specifically, neurons that are experimentally designed not to express any SST and/or SSTR will be treated with amyloid beta, which is found in high concentration in AD brain, and the results will be compared against the reaction of control cells. The change in how the neurons behave, in morphological and molecular level will be assessed and analyzed to assess the exact neuroprotective mechanism of SST. Impact and relevance of this project will lead to gaining a valuable knowledge in how our body naturally tries to protect itself from such diseases, and ultimately to convert that same mechanism into potent drugs which may aid in our battle against neurodegeneration.