Anand Goswami, PhD

  • Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology) at CUMC
Profile Headshot

Overview

Mutations in RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are frequent causes of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The majority of these mutant RBPs, for example, Fused in Sarcoma (FUS), Tar DNA binding protein (TDP-43), and expanded hexanucleotide G4C2 repeat (C9orf72), form distinct protein aggregates in neurons and primarily affect two vital cellular mechanisms: RNA metabolism and protein quality control (PQC). Mutant RBP-mediated defects in these two mechanisms lead to further aggregations of misfolded proteins including RBPs which form a vicious cycle of defective RBP homeostasis and protein accumulation, ultimately leading to progressive neurodegeneration. Thus, understanding the mechanisms of RNA metabolism and PQC is crucial to discovering elements that can prevent, delay, and ultimately cure neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and FTD.

Together with Dr. Neil Shneider, our laboratory aims to understand how impaired PQC (autophagy) and RBP-associated defects including transcription, splicing, nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, RBP phase-separation, and DNA damage repair (DDR) signalling, lead to progressive neurodegeneration in ALS-FTD. Using multi-disciplinary approaches including sophisticated mouse genetics along with biochemical evaluations, as well as highly innovative spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and computational approaches we are currently identifying novel pathways involving neuroprotective factors and genetic modifiers which can ameliorate disease phenotype in ALS-FTD. In addition, we complement our research translationally by utilizing tissues obtained from ALS-FTD patients, making our studies highly disease-relevant. Using the comprehensive knowledge from these studies, we will be able to develop strategies to facilitate more effective gene therapy, drug therapy, and antisense therapy for ALS-FTD and other related disorders.

Academic Appointments

  • Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology) at CUMC

Gender

  • Male

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • BSc, 1999 MD University, Haryana, India
  • MSc, 2001 Biotechnology, APS University, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • PhD, 2007 Molecular neuroscience, National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Gurgaon, India

Honors & Awards

  • The Theodor-Schwann-Prize at the 60th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy (DGNN) 26–28 August 2015 – for outstanding contribution to Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy.
  • JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship award from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (2007-2011).
  • Japanese Neuroscience Travel award by Japanese Neuroscience Society meeting 2006 held in Kyoto (JAPAN)

Research

Identification and characterization of molecular targets for neuroprotection and therapy development in ALS-FTD.