Unleashing the Potential of Genomics to Unravel Lewy Body Dementia and Related Diseases

About this Class

NIH DIRECTORS SEMINAR SERIES

In this presentation, Dr. Scholz will discuss the approach to tackling complex neurodegenerative diseases using modern genomic tools, focusing on Lewy body dementia, a major research area in her lab. She will showcase how they have gained crucial insights into the genetic architecture of this understudied form of dementia by applying genome sequencing and transcriptomic analyses. By integrating multi-omic data and employing cutting-edge analytical methodologies within a systems biology framework, they have been able to identify risk genes and understand their functional consequences. The central theme of Dr. Scholz's lab’s work on neurodegenerative diseases is to pinpoint molecular information that is particularly relevant for translational applications. This includes highlighting critical pathways commonly affected across the neurodegenerative disease spectrum, identifying opportunities for drug repurposing, and delineating targets for therapeutic development. Their ultimate goal is to translate genomic advances from the lab into clinical practice and trials, thereby improving outcomes for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.