Research focused on protein folding, misfolding, and aggregation is leading to major advances across biochemistry and medicine. The elucidation of a folding code is proving to be of extreme importance in the postgenomic era, where a number of orphan genes have been identified for which no clear function has yet been established. This research is st

Current research suggests that neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Creutzfeldt-Jacob may be linked to disorders in protein shape referred to as protein misfolding. Continued study in this area could lead to promising advances in future treatment of these diseases. This groundbreaking text describes the latest findings regarding protein misfolding in the context of it being a marker, and perhaps a cause, in neurodegenerative diseases. Comprehensive coverage includes the diverse biochemical targets/markers for each disease, the currently limited success of drug therapies, and the cutting-edge research that could lead to more promising treatments.