Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes muscle weakness and paralysis, partly due to the buildup of protein aggregates in nerve cells. One key protein, FUS, normally helps process RNA and produce proteins, but mutations can cause it to form harmful aggregates. This project will use “mini brain” models derived from human stem cells to study whether FUS aggregates from ALS patients can spread between nerve cells. Researchers will also investigate the role of extracellular vesicles and tunneling nanotubes in this process, aiming to improve understanding of disease progression and potential therapeutic strategies.
