Hayley McLoughlin

The McLoughlin lab focuses on pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative diseases with particular emphasis toward the polyglutamine disease, Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 3 (SCA3). We use a series of cell and mouse models coupled with human disease tissue to assess the following research focuses: 1. Nonneuronal contributions to neurodegeneration: Studying oligodendrocytes role in disease will define whether they need to be a target of emerging therapies, shed light on the importance of communication between neurons and glia in polyQ disease pathogenesis, and may identify robust glial biomarkers of disease progression that will aid in clinical trial endpoints. 2. Therapeutic development for SCA3: My lab is currently pursuing three preclinical research programs: 1. ASO therapy; 2. Viral-mediated RNAi therapy; 3. Viral-mediated chaperone therapy. As a supplement to many of these programs, we also assist the discovery and development of disease biomarkers.