University of Maryland, Baltimore · NeuroscienceMonteiro Neurodegeneration Lab
Mervyn J Monteiro · Baltimore, Maryland
Research Focus
Dr. Mervyn J. Monteiro's lab at the University of Maryland Baltimore focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) caused by mutations in the UBQLN2 gene. Using advanced mouse models and cellular studies, the lab investigates how these mutations disrupt cellular processes that maintain protein balance and mitochondrial health, which are crucial for neuron function. The findings aim to unravel key pathways involved in neurodegeneration and could lead to potential therapeutic strategies for ALS and similar diseases.
ALSFTDUBQLN2 mutationsproteostasismitochondrial functionautophagyneurodegenerationtransgenic models
Research Aims
4AIM 01Determine how UBQLN2 regulates vacuolar-ATPase function and why ALS/FTD mutations disrupt this activity.
AIM 02Investigate the role of UBQLN2 in mitochondrial protein import and its dysfunction in ALS/FTD.
AIM 03Test if overexpressing UBQLN1 can help alleviate disease symptoms in SOD1 mouse models of ALS.
AIM 04Recover mutant UBQLN2 mouse lines for enhanced phenotypic analysis.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRmouse modelsproteomic analysisimmunoblottingcell cultureautophagy assessmentmitochondrial respiration assaysgenetic manipulationexperimental designdata interpretation
Output against the department
Publications98bottom 33% of dept.450th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 36% of dept.243rd of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.