Neurodegenerative diseases are complex problems that we aim to better understand on a structural level. Fundamentally, disease progression is strongly linked with the dysfunction and misfolding of specific proteins into fibrillar arrangementments. These fibrils are characteristically found in tissue inclusions in the human brain. Our research focuses on the direct structure investigation of these fibrils, the morphology of the resulting tissue pathology, and was recently expanded to also include investigation in the human skin. We cover a range of different diseases, classified by four different proteins: Alpha-synuclein, Tau and Amyloid beta, and TDP-43.

This three-layer Lewy body has a dense core filled with DNA and other material. The core is surrounded by C-terminally truncated alpha-synuclein, and the third layer is formed by full-length alpha-synuclein fibrils. The Lewy body is surrounded by bloated, damaged mitochondria. The very black speckles are Neuromelanin aggregates and lipofuscin bodies, typical for the Substantia nigra brain region. The diameter of this aggregate is approx. 20 µm. © Amanda Lewys, 2026.
Wilma van de Berg, Amsterdam UMC, Netherlands
Ronald Melki, Université Paris-Saclay, France