Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Dmytro Yushchenko

Development of Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the formation of pathological inclusions in neuronal cells. Such inclusions are predominantly composed of amyloid fibrils formed by a misfolded protein α-synuclein. The research project is focused on the development of inhibitors of α-synuclein misfolding into amyloid fibrils. The project combines preparation of peptide- and protein-based inhibitors as well as studies of their activity by measuring the amyloid fibril formation kinetics using fluorescence techniques.

References:
1) K. Afitska, A. Fucikova, V. V. Shvadchak & D. A. Yushchenko. Modification of C-Terminus Provides New Insights into the Mechanism of alpha-Synuclein Aggregation. Biophys J, 2017, 113, 2182.
2) V. V. Shvadchak,  M. M. A. E. Claessens & V. Subramaniam. Fibril Breaking Accelerates α-Synuclein Fibrillization. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2015, 119, 1912.