Pietro De Camilli is interested in the mechanisms underlying the dynamics of cell membranes with emphasis on their role in neuronal physiology. More specifically, De Camilli and his team focus on membrane traffic reactions associated with the release of fast-acting neurotransmitters via synaptic vesicles. They are also interested in the function of contacts between membranous organelles not leading to fusion and their role in lipid transport between membrane bilayers. In addition, the team investigates how disruption of some of these mechanisms results in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease.
Discoveries by two HHMI investigators show how proteins that organize into liquid droplets inside cells make certain biological functions possible. New research adds to growing evidence that Parkinson’s disease may arise in part from neurons’ failure to recycle the materials used to package and transport neurotransmitters.