Jon Hacker

Research/Areas of Interest

Cells can communicate to each other by passing cargo via the secretion of tiny vesicles called exosomes. Neural cells like neurons, astrocytes and microglia use exosomes to pass cargo that can be helpful, but sometimes harmful as in the case of protein aggregates contributing to neurodegenerative diseases. I am investigating how exosomal protein CD63 plays a role in the biogenesis of exosomes in neural cells, and how its function changes in neurodegenerative diseases. I aim to uncover how the microglial exosome pathway is involved in microglial phagocytosis and clearance functions in neurodegenerative disease.