Dr. Michael Levin MD, FAAN, FANA, Neuroscience Cluster Associate Member
ProfessorFor more than 20 years, we have studied how a protein named heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (or ‘A1’ for short) works in neurons. This is important because A1 is central to how neurons function, so when it malfunctions, neurons become injured or die in a process known as neurodegeneration. Neurodegeneration causes permanent disability in MS. Using cutting edge technology including RNA sequencing, CRISPR/Cas9, transgenic mice, viral engineering, and molecular modeling, we discovered that A1 malfunction in neurons causes neurodegeneration in MS and laboratory models of MS. We next designed novel drugs that prevented A1 malfunction and inhibited neurodegeneration, which has the potential to reduce neurologic disability, improve the lives of persons living with MS, and stop MS in its tracks