Duke University · PharmacologyThe LRRK2 Initiative
Andrew B West · Durham, North Carolina
Research Focus
Dr. Andrew B. West's lab at Duke University focuses on understanding the role of a protein called LRRK2 in Parkinson's disease and related dementias. LRRK2 mutations are linked to the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and the lab is investigating how these mutations affect neuronal health and inflammation in the brain. Through advanced techniques and patient studies, they aim to uncover new therapeutic targets that could lead to improved treatments for these devastating conditions.
Parkinson's diseaseAlzheimer's diseaseneurodegenerationLRRK2neuroinflammationtau pathologyLewy body diseaseRab proteinspatient cohortstherapeutic targets
Research Aims
5AIM 01Explore LRRK2 signaling changes in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
AIM 02Identify how LRRK2 mutations influence neurotoxicity.
AIM 03Investigate the relationship between LRRK2 signaling and disease severity.
AIM 04Develop bioassays for measuring LRRK2 activity in patient samples.
AIM 05Examine LRRK2's role in neuroinflammation and its impact on neuronal health.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRWestern blotcell culturemouse modelsRNA sequencingbiochemical assaysimmunofluorescencetranscriptomic analysisproximity labelingcryo-electron microscopy
Output against the department
Publications214top 40% of dept.184th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations18ktop 22% of dept.100th of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.