Rauch Lab

We are part of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department at UMass Amherst.

Research in the lab is focused on discovering molecular mechanisms that contribute to diseases associated with protein misfolding and aggregation. The lab is particularly focused on the neurodegenerative protein tau, which is known to be associated with a variety of diseases including Alzheimer’s Disease.

The protein tau can spread throughout the brain leading to cognitive decline in patients and the deposition of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Understanding the molecular mechanisms that allow tau to spread between neurons, how tau spread influences other cell-types in the brain such as glia, and how tau aggregation can be triggered within cells are active areas of research.

We are located on the 3rd floor of the Life Sciences Laboratory (LSL) Building.