Publications by authors named "Gerardo Figueroa"

Loss of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) is preceded by loss of synaptic dopamine (DA) and accumulation of proteinaceous aggregates. Linking these deficits is critical to restoring DA signaling in PD. Using murine and human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) models of PD coupled with human postmortem tissue, we show that accumulation of α-syn micro-aggregates impairs metabolic flux through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP).

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To achieve a virological cure for hepatitis B virus (HBV), innovative strategies are required to target the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) genome. Guanine-quadruplexes (G4s) are a secondary structure that can be adopted by DNA and play a significant role in regulating viral replication, transcription, and translation. Antibody-based probes and small molecules have been developed to study the role of G4s in the context of the human genome, but none have been specifically made to target G4s in viral infection.

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There are numerous animal models available to study bone healing as well as test strategies to accelerate bone formation. Sheep are commonly used for evaluation of long bone fractures due to similar dimensions and weight bearing environments compared to patients. Large critical-size defects can be created in sheep to facilitate the study of implantable materials, osteogenic proteins, and stem cell treatments.

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