Abstract: An emerging theme in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the propagation of α-synuclein pathology as the disease progresses. At the cellular and molecular levels, this intercellular spread requires the translocation of α-synuclein across various membrane barriers.The basic biology of misfolded protein transmission may inform new therapies for PD. Recent studies have identified subcellular organelles and protein machineries that facilitate these processes. In this talk, I will focus on a recently discovered unconventional secretion pathway for α-synuclein mediated by a lipidated chaperone, DNAJC5.

Short Biography: Dr. Shenjie Wu is an Assistant Researcher in Dr. Randy Schekman’s lab at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his Ph.D. from Tsinghua University under the mentorship of Prof. Yigong Shi, where he investigated the structure and function of gamma-secretase in Alzheimer's disease. Transitioning his research focus during his postdoctoral training in Prof. Schekman’s lab, Dr. Wu now explores the cell biology of Parkinson's disease.