Research summary
Emerging evidence suggests that changes in how our bodies produce energy and remove waste (in other words, our metabolism) can affect our health and lead to chronic inflammation. These changes can also cause a variety of health problems, including neurodegenerative diseases. As Canada Research Chair in Human Immunology and Host Pathogen Interactions, Dr. Francesca Di Cara is investigating the role of peroxisomes in these diseases.
Peroxisomes are present in every cell and are essential for metabolizing molecules from our diets and controlling inflammation. Di Cara and her research team are trying to define peroxisomal signalling of the gut-brain axis and assess identified signalling as biomarkers of neurodegeneration. They are also characterizing identified neuro-inflammation factors. Ultimately, they aim to determine markers of pathogenic versus healthy brain aging and determine whether peroxisomes could be important drug targets in treating neurodegenerative diseases.