The Schuele lab is interested in the understanding of genetic causes and risk factors for neurodegeneration and the pathophysiological consequences leading to the clinical expression of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders.
Our projects range from clinical genetic family studies and human stem cell modeling of neuronal cell types or neurocircuits to translational approaches to ultimately treat Parkinson’s disease.
The Schuele lab has extensive expertise and a long history of human induced pluripotent stem cell modeling and gene discovery and has been a long-standing collaborator in several MJFF-funded LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein consortia.
Current work relates to genetic modifiers of LRRK2, gene dosage levels of alpha-synuclein, polygenic risk scores, and ATXN-10 as a rare form of Parkinson’s disease/spinocerebellar ataxia.
Our projects range from clinical genetic family studies and human stem cell modeling of neuronal cell types or neurocircuits to translational approaches to ultimately treat Parkinson’s disease.
The Schuele lab has extensive expertise and a long history of human induced pluripotent stem cell modeling and gene discovery and has been a long-standing collaborator in several MJFF-funded LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein consortia.
Current work relates to genetic modifiers of LRRK2, gene dosage levels of alpha-synuclein, polygenic risk scores, and ATXN-10 as a rare form of Parkinson’s disease/spinocerebellar ataxia.
Parkinson’s disease 'in-a-dish' and 'on-a-chip'
CRISPR interference in the neuron (Picture by Shivani Seshan)
Skin-derived human stem cells build the foundation for in vitro modeling. Patient-derived stem cells can be differentiated into neurons, specifically neurons that produce and release dopamine resembling the neurons that die in the brain of Parkinson’s patients. This unique human cellular model allows replicating conditions as in the human brain.
In a collaborative project with VIB/KU Leuven and imec, we develop a novel neuronal microchip ('brain on a chip') to create a functional cortico-striato-nigral circuit to understand how these more complex systems can distinguish Parkinson’s disease from healthy controls. Check it out!
“Brain on a chip is a transformative, multidisciplinary and international collaboration
to approach next generation experimental research for Parkinson’s disease. This project
will give us deeper insight into functional network changes of the brain, that will allow us
to develop new therapies.” – Dr. J. William Langston
Clinical Professor, Dept. of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University
The Schuele lab is affiliated with the Stanford Alzheimer Research Center (ADRC) and the Stanford Pacific Udall Center. Dr. Schuele is the core leader of the Analytics Core for the Udall Center. We support the centers with genetic characterization and building a human induced pluripotent stem cell bank, which are shared with the NINDS Human Cell and Data Repository (NHCDR).
Link to Stanford ADRC
Link to Pacific Udall Center
In a collaborative project with VIB/KU Leuven and imec, we develop a novel neuronal microchip ('brain on a chip') to create a functional cortico-striato-nigral circuit to understand how these more complex systems can distinguish Parkinson’s disease from healthy controls. Check it out!
“Brain on a chip is a transformative, multidisciplinary and international collaboration
to approach next generation experimental research for Parkinson’s disease. This project
will give us deeper insight into functional network changes of the brain, that will allow us
to develop new therapies.” – Dr. J. William Langston
Clinical Professor, Dept. of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University
The Schuele lab is affiliated with the Stanford Alzheimer Research Center (ADRC) and the Stanford Pacific Udall Center. Dr. Schuele is the core leader of the Analytics Core for the Udall Center. We support the centers with genetic characterization and building a human induced pluripotent stem cell bank, which are shared with the NINDS Human Cell and Data Repository (NHCDR).
Link to Stanford ADRC
Link to Pacific Udall Center