CBBC Faculty Profile

Mark P. Burns, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience

Campus Address:
Research Building, WP 22a

Mailing Address:
Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Rd NW, Research Building, WP22a, Washington, DC 20057

Tel: 202-687-4735
Fax: 202-687-0617
E-mail: mpb37@georgetown.edu
Web Page

Research Interests:
Studying the effects of cholesterol related therapies in models of Alzheimer’s disease. Also studying how exposure to traumatic brain injury increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in later life.

Research Summary:
In Alzheimer’s disease, genetics and lifestyle both play a part. There is one major genetic risk factor for developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, a mutant form of a cholesterol transporting protein in our blood (apoE). In addition, people with high cholesterol have increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that balancing cholesterol levels is vital for maintaining a healthy brain. Because of this, much of the work we do focuses on the role of cholesterol on development of Alzheimer’s disease. Focusing on cholesterol lowering therapies, such as statin drugs, we have found that production of the toxic proteins that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease can be reduced by over 50%.

Teaching:
Co-Course Director and lecturer in the Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroscience course (NSCI-556).

Populations Studied:
Tissue samples from post-mortem Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury patients

Techniques/Methods/Approaches Used:
Cell culture; protein analysis (western blots, immunohistochemistry); microscopy; DNA analysis (genotyping, PCR, cloning); knockout and transgenic mice.