Peng Lab
Principal Investigator: Chunte Peng
Institution: Broad Institute (Cambridge, MA)
Primary Subfield: Genetics/Genomics
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
PROJECT SUMMARY Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects over 6 million Americans, with amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques stemming from amyloid precursor protein (APP) misprocessing as a central pathological driver. Despite decades of research, the dynamic molecular mechanisms regulating APP’s encounters with β-secretase (BACE1) for amyloidogenic cleavage versus α-secretase (ADAM10) for protective shedding remain poorly understood, hindered by bulk biochemical assays that obscure single-molecule behaviors in live neurons. Current anti-Aβ therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies, achieve modest slowing of early cognitive decline but fail to reverse established impairments, underscoring the need for upstream interventions targeting APP processing. This R21 proposal develops an innovative live-cell imaging platform that performs functional genomics screens using single- molecule dynamic readouts. We will integrate Single-Particle Tracking (SPT) with Optical Pooled Screening (OPS) to develop a transformative multiplexed imaging technology called SPT-OPS that further sharpens OPS sensitivity and greatly exponentiates SPT throughput. We will use two SPT acquisition modes balancing breadth and depth: Mod…
Active NIH Awards
- 1R21AG104127-01: Single-molecule dynamics of amyloid precursor protein with pooled genetic perturbations (2026)
- 1DP2EB041715-01: Unraveling Signal Transduction: Extended Single-Molecule Visualization in Living Cells (2026)
- 5R00AG065516-05: Ultralong-term single-molecule imaging of amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing in Alzheimer's disease (2025)
- 5R00AG065516-04: Ultralong-term single-molecule imaging of amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing in Alzheimer's disease (2024)
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