Research Interests
The role of proteins in cells requires distinct folding and specific localization to carry out cellular functions, with misfolding leading to the loss of protein function and cytotoxic accumulation. UBQLN2 maintains proteostasis through a variety of protein quality control pathways, including the UPS, autophagy, and ERAD. We are studying the specific mechanism of UBQLN2 as a chaperone protein in SCA3 and Huntington's disease, two polyglutamine diseases. We utilize the disease-relevant IPSCs and brain organoids to answer these questions.