Welcome to the Liachko lab website
We are a research group affiliated with the Division of Gerontology in the University of Washington Department of Medicine and located at the VA Medical Center in Seattle.
We study the underlying genetic and molecular causes of neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration in TDP-43 proteinopathies, which are characterized by pathological aggregates of the protein TDP-43. These devastating neurodegenerative diseases are typically rapidly progressing and invariably fatal. These include primary TDP-43 proteinopathies, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD-TDP), and also diseases where TDP-43 can be present as a co-morbid secondary pathology, such as Alzheimer's disease. We use a variety of model systems including (the awesome power of) C. elegans, mammalian cultured cells and mice to identify pathways that promote or protect against disease.
Our long-term focus is to identify new therapeutic targets and strategies. Interested in learning more? Check out our Research page for a deeper dive into our research interests, or contact us.
Recent lab news:
5/27/2023: The Liachko lab is growing! Welcome to Aaron Long, a UW MCB graduate student, who will be doing his thesis research with us.
10/18/2022: Welcome to Amanda Cohen! She has joined us as a research technician.
7/1/2022: A big thanks to the BrightFocus Foundation for funding our newest research project studying the consequences of neurotoxic TDP-43 in Alzheimer's disease.
4/1/2022: Our latest paper is out identifying neuron specific vulnerabilities to co-morbid tau and TDP-43 in C. elegans: DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049323
10/1/2021: Welcome Laura Garcia Toscano, our new post-doctoral fellow!
6/29/2021: We've published a mini-review on the fascinating synergy between tau and TDP-43 in AD in Geroscience (Open Access).
6/15/2021: A big welcome to Navi Jadhav, our new post-doctoral fellow!
6/4/2021: Congrats Dr. Sarah Waldherr on your successful Ph.D. defense and a big welcome to the Liachko Lab!
