University of California-Irvine · BiologyLa Spada Neurobiology Lab
Albert R La Spada · Irvine, California
Research Focus
Dr. Albert R. La Spada's lab at UC Irvine focuses on understanding neurodegenerative diseases, particularly those caused by abnormal protein expansions known as polyglutamines, such as spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy and Huntington's disease. The research aims to uncover cellular mechanisms that lead to motor neuron degeneration and explore potential therapeutic strategies to restore cellular balance in neurodegenerative conditions. By investigating the roles of specific proteins and pathways, the lab seeks to develop drugs to mitigate neurotoxicity and promote neuronal health.
neurodegenerative diseasespolyglutamine expansionHuntington's diseaseskeletal muscleneuroprotectionMAP4K3transcription regulationautophagymetabolic signalingtherapeutics
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the molecular basis of motor neuron degeneration in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.
AIM 02Explore the role of PPARd in neuroprotection and its dysregulation in Huntington's disease.
AIM 03Develop novel therapeutics targeting MAP4K3 for treating diseases involving altered cellular metabolism.
AIM 04Characterize metabolic signaling pathways in neurodegenerative diseases.
AIM 05Examine the impact of autophagy and cellular stress response pathways in disease progression.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturemouse modelsgene expression analysisimmunohistochemistryWestern blotRNA sequencingbioinformaticspharmacological screeningtransgenic mouse modelingautophagy assays
Output against the department
Publications252top 24% of dept.244th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations22ktop 17% of dept.177th of 1,033
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.