Kristof Dos Remedios

• BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences
• Investigating the adaptation of neurons to mitochondrial dysfunction

Mitochondria are the batteries of the cell. In Parkinson’s disease, brain cells in the substantia nigra (SN) are lost. In this project my aim was to see whether brain cells with dysfunctional mitochondria could cause a protective adaptation in neighbouring cells allowing them to survive. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) uses antibodies to stain for tissue markers. My work has allowed me to optimise these antibodies so that there is no excess waste and the signal is not too strong or weak. I have also carried out staining on human SN brain tissue using autophagy antibodies in order to get some reliable data.

Funding source: Newcastle University