John M. Warrick's Lab

In my lab we study a human inherited brain degeneration disease. Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD) also known as Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 (SCA3) is in the same family of Polyglutamine Diseases as other diseases like Huntington’s Disease and Kennedy’s Disease. To study the disease we have flies that express either the normal form of the gene, ATX3, or a mutant form that causes the disease. We are trying to find out why the protein from the mutant gene is toxic and kills brain cells. Additionally, we are looking for genetic and molecular mechanisms that may be used to slow down or stop the disease progression. Because flies and humans are so similar at the molecular and genetic level, we hope the discoveries we make will be able to be translated in human therapies and cures. Along the way we are learning a lot about how neurons function at the genetic and molecular level. 

Current Projects

  • Does loss or inactivation of the transcriptional regulator Tip60 have a role in disease pathology? 

  • Do oxidative stress and free radicals have a role in MJD pathology? 

  • How does the immune response and inflammation influence MJD disease pathology? 

  • How do glia respond to disease protein expression and what is their role in pathology? 

Current Lab Members

Heidi Beal 

Caro Osenga 

Katie Weispfenning 

Lily Byam 

Alexa Escamilla 

Shaheer Shehzad