Dr Maria Jimenez-Sanchez PhD
MRC Career Development Fellow
Research interests
- Neuroscience
Contact details
Biography
My lab is interested in studying the mechanisms that prevent protein misfolding and accumulation in neurodegenerative diseases, such as molecular chaperones and autophagy. While the relevance of these mechanisms to neurodegeneration has been widely studied in neurons, their importance in glial cells such as astrocytes, has not received as much attention so far. Research in the lab is funded by an MRC Career Development Award to study chaperones as molecular targets to prevent Alzheimer’s disease in the context of astrocyte-neuron communication.
Please see my Research Staff Profile for more detail.
Find out more about my research:
Key Publications:
- Sung & Jimenez-Sanchez, 2020. Autophagy in astrocytes and its implications in neurodegeneration. Journal of Molecular Biology.
- Jimenez-Sanchez et al., 2015. siRNA screen identifies QPCT as a druggable target for Huntington’s disease. Nature Chemical Biology.
- Jimenez-Sanchez et al., 2012. The Hedgehog signalling pathway regulates autophagy. Nature Communications.
Key Collaborators:
- Dr Wendy Noble, King's College London
- Dr Beatriz Gomez Perez-Nievas, King's College London
- Professor Diane Hanger, King's College London
Research
Maria Jimenez-Sanchez Research Group
We investigate the role of molecular chaperones and autophagy in glial cells. Chaperones and autophagy are essential cellular mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. We study how these mechanisms work in astrocytes in the context of neurodegeneration. The group is based in the Maurice Wohl Institute in the Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience at King's College London
Features
Celebrating Neuroscience Research this Brain Awareness Week
This year, Brain Awareness Week was held from 14 to 22 March 2022. Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for...
Research
Maria Jimenez-Sanchez Research Group
We investigate the role of molecular chaperones and autophagy in glial cells. Chaperones and autophagy are essential cellular mechanisms to prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. We study how these mechanisms work in astrocytes in the context of neurodegeneration. The group is based in the Maurice Wohl Institute in the Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience at King's College London
Features
Celebrating Neuroscience Research this Brain Awareness Week
This year, Brain Awareness Week was held from 14 to 22 March 2022. Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for...