The focus of research in the Patel laboratory is the study of amino acid transport proteins in the central nervous system (CNS). Our research centers on the regulation of the system xc- cystine/glutamate exchanger. System xc- is now established to play an important role in the regulation of glutathione biosynthesis and oxidative stress in both neurons and glial cells in the CNS. Our long-term goal is to understand the contribution of its changing activities in various disease states involving oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.
