Laura Ranum, PhD, FANA
University of Florida
Dr. Laura P.W. Ranum, is the Director of the Center for Neurogenetics and the KitzmanFamily Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Florida. In2011, her lab discovered that novel category of proteins are produced from repeatexpansion mutations that do not require a canonical AUG-initiation codon forexpression. These toxic, repeat-associated, non-AUG (RAN) proteins have been foundin a growing number of neurodegenerative diseases including C9orf72 amyotrophiclateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, Huntington disease and ataxia. Mechanistic insights from her recent work have identified novel therapeutic strategies totreat RAN protein disorders including C9orf72 ALS/FTD.