Aparna Lakkaraju

Acid sphingomyelinase inhibition restores RPE homeostasis and photoreceptor function in preclinical Stargardt macular degeneration models

This study shows that inhibiting acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) restores RPE function and photoreceptor health in Stargardt disease models by reducing ceramide accumulation and improving EV biogenesis.

Loss of TMEM55B modulates lipid metabolism through dysregulated lipophagy and mitochondrial function

This study shows that TMEM55B loss disrupts lipid metabolism by altering lipophagy and mitochondrial function, worsening MASLD in mice.

Microglia target synaptic sites early during excitatory circuit disassembly in neurodegeneration

This study shows that microglia increase in number and interact with synaptic sites early in neurodegeneration, and their depletion partially restores ganglion cell function.

Targeting complement C3a receptor resolves mitochondrial hyperfusion and subretinal microglial activation in progranulin-deficient frontotemporal dementia

This study identifies a mechanism by which progranulin deficiency leads to mitochondrial hyperfusion and neuroinflammation in GRN-FTD, showing that targeting C3aR can restore mitochondrial integrity and reduce microglial activation.

Mitochondria-dependent phase separation of disease-relevant proteins drives pathological features of age-related macular degeneration

This study identifies mitochondrial stress-mediated protein phase separation as a key pathogenic mechanism in AMD, linking genetic risk factors to RPE dysfunction.