Caughey Research Group

Many neurodegenerative diseases are caused by prion-like self-propagating aggregates of specific proteins such as tau (e.g., Alzheimer’s), α-synuclein (e.g., Parkinson’s), and PrP (prion diseases). We emphasize biochemical, structural biological, and cell biological studies of such pathological aggregates. For example, we have used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the first high-resolution structures of bona fide infectious PrP prions. We have exploited the self-propagating properties of proteopathic aggregates to develop ultrasensitive seed amplification assays (RT-QuIC assays) that are not only valuable in fundamental research, but also providing high diagnostic accuracy for prion diseases and synucleinopathies using clinically accessible biospecimens. Our tau RT-QuIC assays can detect and discriminate different pathological forms of tau aggregates with unprecedented sensitivity, and we are currently evaluating their diagnostic utility. We are also seeking to improve the practicality and quantitative precision of RT-QuIC assays. Armed with our new near-atomic prion structures, we are seeking new approaches to blocking prion growth and toxicity for therapeutic purposes against prion disease.

Members of TSE/Prion Biochemistry Section

TSE/Prion Biochemistry Section, 2024. Left to right: Samantha King, Postbaccalaureate Fellow; Francesco Silvestri, Predoctoral Visiting Fellow (former member); Christina Orrù, Staff Scientist; Byron Caughey, Senior Investigator; Efrosini Artikis, Postdoctoral Fellow; Parvez Alam, Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow; Jakub Soukup, Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow; Andrew Hughson, Lab Technician/Microbiologist; Sabiha Parveen, Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow (not pictured).

Credit: NIAID

Byron Caughey, Ph.D.

Chief, TSE/Prion Biochemistry Section

Education:

Ph.D., 1985, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Caughey received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985 and completed postdoctoral studies in pharmacology at Duke University Medical Center from 1985 to 1986. He has conducted TSE/prion research in the Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases (now Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity) since 1986. He became a tenured senior investigator in 1994.

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Byron Caughey, Ph.D.

Parvez Alam, Ph.D.

Visiting Fellow

Education:

Ph.D., Aligarh Muslim University, India

Languages Spoken: Hindi, Urdu

Parvez received his master’s degree and Ph.D. at the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. His Ph.D. study investigated the inhibitory effect of small molecules on amyloid formation in proteins. His current work is focused on developing RT- QuIC-based diagnostic assay for ALS and investigating the structural details of prion strains.

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Efrosini Artikis, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education:

Ph.D., Biophysics

B.S., Chemistry

Languages Spoken: Greek

With a background in computational biophysics, Efrosini’s research interests include protein folding, structure function relationships, and neurodegenerative disease. Currently, her work employs a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate the mechanistic aspects of prion propagation and tau pathology.

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Portrait of Efrosini Artikis, Ph.D, B.S.

Christina Doriana Orru`-Grovemann, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist

Education:

Ph.D., University of Cagliari, Italy

Languages Spoken: Italian

Dr. Orru`-Groveman received her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Cagliari (Italy) in 2007 and completed her postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health in Dr. Caughey’s laboratory. She has been a staff scientist since 2015 and has conducted prion research in the Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases (now Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity) since 2008...

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Andrew G. Hughson, M.S.

Lab Technician/Microbiologist

Education:

M.S., Genetics and Cell Biology, 1994, Washington State University

Lab technician in Dr. Caughey’s lab at Rocky Mountain Labs since 2001.

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Samantha King

Postbaccalaureate Fellow

Education:

B.S., 2022, University of Montana, Missoula, MT

Samantha received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Montana. After spending two years working in industry as an analytical chemist, she decided to pursue a research opportunity to establish and fortify her interest in biochemistry. Her current project is focused on developing an RT-QuIC-based diagnostic assay for ALS.

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Jakub Soukup, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Education:

Ph.D., 2023, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
M.Sc., 2015, Virology, Charles University, Prague, Czechia

Languages Spoken: Czech

After receiving his M.Sc. in virology, Jakub started his Ph.D. in prion research, which he completed at Charles University, Prague, Czechia. With a light and electron microscopy background, his research focuses on high-resolution visualization of prions in the context of cell and extracellular vesicles, alongside prion structural studies using cryo-EM.

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Former Research Group Members

  • Kachi Isiofia, B.S., Postbaccalaureate Research Trainee
  • Ankit Srivastava, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow
  • Francesco Silvestri, B.S., Predoctoral Visiting Fellow
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