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	Podcast:		UC Science Today
	Episode:		How multidisciplinary studies can sometimes take fortuitous turns
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:01:02
	Publish Date:		2016-03-23 00:00:00
	Description:		If it weren’t for multi-disciplinary studies and translational research, the development of a potential eye drop that can reverse cataracts may not have happened. University of California, San Francisco researcher Jason Gestwicki explains that his lab was initially interested in coming up with small molecule treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. "They had some features in common with cataracts and frankly, I didn’t know much about the cause of cataract. I didn’t know that cataract involved this protein aggregation." When the process of validating their technologies did not move fast enough for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, Gestwicki’s lab tackled the cataract since one of the amyloid proteins involved in its formation is similar to those involved in Alzheimer’s disease. "I want to emphasize, though, that the process in Alzheimer’s disease is much more complicated than the process in cataract, but I think it gives our team satisfaction and motivation and let’s us know that we’re on the right track and that’s another satisfying thing."
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