Melanie Alpaugh

Dr. Melanie Alpaugh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on understanding protein misfolding mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. She employs human tissue samples, mouse models, and cell culture systems to investigate interactions between cardiovascular health and neurodegeneration, as well as environmental stressors’ impact on protein aggregation.

Education:

• B.Sc. Honors (Neuroscience), University of Alberta (2010)
• Ph.D. (Neuroscience), University of Alberta (2016)

Research Themes:

1. Cardiovascular disease’s role in blood-brain barrier dysfunction and protein accumulation
2. Environmental factors influencing protein misfolding in neurodegenerative disorders

Her lab integrates behavioral analysis, biochemical methods, imaging, and statistical approaches to study disease mechanisms. Recent work highlights tau’s role in Huntington’s disease and the utility of plasma biomarkers for disease severity assessment.

Lab Leadership: Dr. Alpaugh mentors graduate students like Jason Cousineau and Aimee Dawe. The lab’s interdisciplinary approach bridges basic science and clinical applications, aiming to uncover shared mechanisms across neurodegenerative conditions.

Labs/Teams: The Alpaugh Lab collaborates widely, using advanced models such as 3D cell culture systems to simulate blood-brain barrier dynamics and validate therapeutic strategies.