Session Title: Network Biology

Description: Cognitive decline is among the most feared complications of aging. Understanding the drivers of late life cognitive decline, particularly those that result in dementia, is of critical importance to our aging population. The Dementia and Aging SIG brings together experts in the fields of cognitive aging and dementia to discuss progress, challenges, and paths forward. This year's edition of the Dementia and Aging SIG will focus on network biology and novel genetic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic approaches to understanding dementia susceptibility and progression.

Chair: Jasmeer Chhatwal, MD, PhD, MMSc, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School

Co-Chair: Thomas Wingo, MD, Emory University, School of Medicine

Objective(s): 

• Understand the breadth of current network approaches to analyzing -omic data
• Understand how these approaches are being used in unique ways to ask questions about the biology

Presentations:

Combined Molecular and Imaging Approaches to Alzheimer's Mechanisms

Speaker:

Christopher Gaiteri, PhD

Rush University, Medical Center

Bernard Ng, Rush University Medical Center; University of British Columbia

Abeta-accelerated Neurodegeneration Caused by Alzheimer’s-associated ACE Variant R1279Q is Rescued by Angiotensin System Inhibit

Oral Presenter: 

Robert Vassar

Northwestern University

Characterizing the Role of Genetic Variants Influencing α-synuclein Seeding Activity Neuropathologically Quantified Human Brains

Oral Presenter: 

Naveen Kondru, DVM, PhD

Mayo Clinic

Functional Genomics Approach to Neuronal-Glial Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration

Speaker:

Jessica Rexach MD, PhD

UCLA Geffen School of Medicine

Epigenetic Pathways in Healthy Aging and Neurodegeneration

Speaker:

Raffaela Nativio, PhD

Imperial College London