The Steen laboratory works to understand neuro-regeneration and neurodegeneration using systems biology approaches.

The laboratory develops novel qualitative and quantitative workflows at the interface of proteomics and transcriptomics to collect large data sets. These large data sets are then mined using both available software and in house developed tools. These novel quantitative methods and bioinformatics tools developed by the Steen Laboratory are being applied to understand the biology of regeneration and neurodegeneration in both mouse models, stem cells and human tissues and fluids, to find molecular targets for therapeutics, and to identify biomarkers of the neurodegenerative process. Further functional studies using biochemical, molecular and cell biology approaches are used to verify and understand the role of the targets and biomarkers in the context of injury and disease. The goal of this research is to use molecular information provided by our quantitative proteomics measurements to ameliorate neurodegeneration and promote regeneration. We are currently applying our analytical and computational workflows to Alzheimer’s Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Parkinson’s Disease