Akansha Mehta

Currently, I am a DPhil student in the Wade-Martins Lab studying the role of lysosomal ATPases in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and dopamine neurons in GBA-associated Parkinson’s disease (PD). My project involves developing protocols to generate iPSC-derived glial cells, assessing ATPase levels and function, and examining their relationship with endolysosomal dysfunction in PD. I also investigate co-culture systems to study whether PD astrocytes or PD oligodendrocytes drive the selective vulnerability of dopamine neurons in PD.

Previously, I was a neuronal cellular biology research assistant at the Wade-Martins Lab. My research focused on the therapeutic targets of PD by studying the endolysosomal pathway in patient iPSC-derived dopamine neurons. I conducted various cellular assays and disease-phenotypic correction experiments in iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons to evaluate the mechanism of action of the endolysosomal pathway modulators. 

Parallel to these studies, I also investigated the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs)- mediated communication between astrocytes and dopamine neurons in PD. For this study, I utilised PD patient iPSC-derived dopamine neurons and astrocytes, and analysed the EV molecular cargo and their impact on neuronal health.