In this episode, we are joined by MD/Ph.D. Zuniga is at the forefront of research into the intricate mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Alzheimer's patients often exhibit evidence of altered RNA processing. However, the causal link between these changes and neurodegeneration and the mechanics of how such alterations occur remain somewhat elusive.

Dr. Zuniga provides insight into these issues through her ground-breaking work using Drosophila melanogaster models of tauopathy. Her team discovered that the activity of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), a key RNA quality control mechanism, is reduced in these models. Importantly, the manipulation of the NMD machinery could significantly alter tau-induced neurotoxicity, establishing a causal link between deficits in NMD and neurodegeneration.

The team identified the ...