Katarina Stoklund Dittlau

Scientific focus areas:

• In vitro disease modelling of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Alzheimer's disease, Glaucoma and Parkinson’s disease.

• 2D and 3D stem cell differentiation of neuronal and glial cell types including organoids.

• Generation of multicellular, microfluidic stem cell models.

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Current project:

Exploring the role of environmental PFAS in the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.

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Project description:

This proposal outlines a novel and innovative research project exploring the health risks associated with the environmental accumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Recently, PFAS have gained attention for their neurotoxic effects, raising serious concerns about both immediate and long-term impacts on the brain. Using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons and astrocytes in a coculture network within microfluidic devices, we aim to investigate the effects of PFAS on two key hallmarks of synucleinopathy: α-synuclein aggregation dynamics and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our investigation will address critical aspects including protein misfolding, neural network formation, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and cell viability. The findings of this study aim to provide insight into the rising incidence of synucleinopathies and support public health policies targeting these environmental hazards.