Søren Tvorup Christensen
Deciphering convergence of primary cilia and defects in brain development in Huntington’s disease
Søren Tvorup Christensen, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, has been awarded a Lundbeck Foundation LF Experiments research grant worth DKK 1,991,277.00.
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the Huntingtin protein (HTT), resulting in the progressive loss of motor control and higher cognitive functions. Our hypothesis suggests that HTT plays a crucial role for normal brain development through primary cilia, cellular antenna-like organelles in the developing cerebral cortex. Mutations in HTT may lead to primary cilia defects, causing abnormal brain development and increased vulnerability to degeneration later in life. If confirmed, our findings could reshape HD understanding, provide new insights into neurodevelopment, and guide early treatment for HD mutation carriers.
