Massachusetts Institute of Technology · EngineeringAlzheimer's Disease Metabolism Lab
Ernest Fraenkel · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Ernest Fraenkel's lab focuses on understanding how genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease affect cellular metabolism and communication. By using human-derived stem cells, the lab investigates the functions of risk alleles in different brain cell types, especially how they respond to stress and contribute to the mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. The research aims to uncover potential pathways for future therapies.
Alzheimer's Diseasegenetic risk factorscell metabolismstem cells3D cell cultures
Research Aims
3AIM 01Characterize the effects of Alzheimer's risk alleles on cell metabolism in 2D cultures of various brain cell types.
AIM 02Investigate how risk alleles influence cell-cell interactions using advanced 3D culture models.
AIM 03Examine the impact of genetic variants alongside environmental stressors in cell cultures.
Skills the Lab Values
cell cultureinduced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)proteomicsmetabolomicscomputational modeling3D cell culture techniquesgene editing (CRISPR)multi-omic analysisdata integration methodshypothesis testing in vitro
Output against the department
Publications295top 29% of dept.80th of 278
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations22ktop 16% of dept.45th of 278
this lab
most citedleast cited
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