University of Kansas · NeuroscienceWilkins Lab
Heather M. Wilkins · Lawrence, Kansas
Research Focus
Dr. Heather M. Wilkins leads a research lab at the University of Kansas Medical Center focusing on the role of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in mitochondrial function and mitophagy, particularly in the context of Alzheimer’s disease. The lab investigates how APP interacts with mitochondrial components to influence energy production and cellular health. This work has important implications for understanding Alzheimer’s disease and developing potential therapeutic strategies.
mitophagyamyloid precursor proteinmitochondrial functionAlzheimer's diseasebioenergeticsneurodegenerationin vivo modelsinduced pluripotent stem cellsastrocytesneurons
Research Aims
5AIM 01Determine the role of full-length APP in bioenergetic function.
AIM 02Investigate how APP facilitates mitophagy through interactions with PINK1 and p62.
AIM 03Explore the effects of APP localization on mitochondrial health.
AIM 04Assess the impact of APP processing products on mitophagy.
AIM 05Study cell type-specific effects of APP in neuronal and astrocytic models.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturein vivo modelsinduced pluripotent stem cellsWestern blotelectron microscopyRNA sequencingimmunofluorescencegenetic knockout techniquesquantitative PCRflow cytometry
Output against the department
Publications2,108top 1% of dept.6th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5.4kbottom 39% of dept.411th 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.