Carlos W. Bertoncini
My area of interest lies on the molecular mechanisms involved in the misfolding of proteins, and their links with neurodegeneration. During the last 8 years I have developed a variety of biophysical and biochemical assays for the in vitro and in vivo examination of protein aggregation and amyloid formation, employing mainly spectroscopic tools such as NMR and fluorescence. Currently, my research focuses on the development of multiparametric fluorescence microscopy techniques to probe amyloid species in vivo (C. elegans and D. melanogaster). Applying these tools, I’m studying a number of protein-protein interactions that modulate amyloid formation in vivo, such as protein chaperones and aim to design novel drug-screening and diagnostic platforms. The long-term career goal is to develop and apply various analytical tools synergistically, in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, for the discovery of therapeutic agents capable of treating misfolding related syndroms such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.