Baylor College of Medicine · NeuroscienceOrengo Lab
James P Orengo · Houston, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. James P. Orengo's lab at Baylor College of Medicine investigates the mechanisms underlying Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 (SCA1), a neurodegenerative disease that leads to severe motor dysfunction and premature death. The lab focuses on the role of motor neurons, which control muscle activities, in the progression of SCA1, seeking to distinguish their degeneration from that of cerebellar neurons. By using specialized mouse models, the team aims to uncover crucial molecular changes and identify potential therapeutic targets that could improve the quality of life for patients suffering from this debilitating condition.
Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1motor neuron diseaseneurodegenerationpolyglutaminestranscriptomic analysistherapeuticscellular mechanismsmouse models
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the necessity of polyQ ATXN1 expression in motor neurons for premature death in SCA1 models.
AIM 02Identify transcriptomic changes in motor neurons during SCA1 progression using advanced sequencing techniques.
AIM 03Evaluate the impact of the transcriptional regulator Mdfi on motor neuron degeneration in SCA1.
Skills the Lab Values
mouse modelsmRNA sequencingcell sortingfluorescent microscopybehavioral assaysmolecular cloninggene expression analysisWestern blottingpathway analysis
Output against the department
Publications69bottom 19% of dept.542nd of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.6kbottom 10% of dept.605th of 671
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.