Susan Shao has received a grant for research on neurodegeneration through the Ludwig Neurodegenerative Disease Seed Grants Program.  

The goal of the Ludwig program is to support HMS researchers with in-depth knowledge of basic neuroscience as they investigate and validate novel mechanisms that could be driving neurodegeneration — in particular, Alzheimer’s disease. The program strives to identify projects grounded in basic biology that have the greatest potential for translational impact.

Susan is researching how neurons respond to impaired mRNA and protein quality control issues in ribosomes — structures inside cells that use mRNA blueprints to make proteins. She hopes to uncover mechanistic insights into this protein production pathway inside neurons, which is thought to be highly relevant to neurodegeneration.