Research Overview —
We are working to create mitochondria dysfunction models in SH-SY5Y cell and iPSC derived neurons. These models will allow us to better understand how mitochondria dysfunction influences Alzheimer's disease. Unraveling this mechanism could aid in the development of therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.
Publications —
Gabrielli, A. P., Novikova, L., Ranjan, A., Wang, X., Ernst, N. J., Abeykoon, D., Roberts, A., Kopp, A., Mansel, C., Qiao, L., Lysaker, C. R., Wiedling, I. W., Wilkins, H. M., & Swerdlow, R. H. (2024). Inhibiting mtDNA transcript translation alters Alzheimer's disease-associated biology. Alzheimer's & dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 20(12), 8429–8443.
Roberts, A., Swerdlow, R. H., & Wang, N. (2024). Adaptive and maladaptive DNA breaks in neuronal physiology and alzheimer’s disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(14), 7774.
Swift, L. M.*, Roberts, A.*, Pressman, J., Guerrelli, D., Allen, S., Haq, K. T., Reisz, J. A., D'Alessandro, A., & Posnack, N. G. (2023). Evidence for the cardiodepressive effects of the plasticizer di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate. Toxicological sciences: an official journal of the Society of Toxicology, 197(1), 79–94. *Luther M. Swift and Anysja Roberts contributed equally to this study.
Haq, K. T., Roberts, A., Berk, F., Allen, S., Swift, L. M., & Posnack, N. G. (2023). KairoSight-3.0: A validated optical mapping software to characterize cardiac electrophysiology, excitation-contraction coupling, and alternans. Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology plus, 5, 100043.
Haq, K. T., Cooper, B. L., Berk, F., Roberts, A., Swift, L. M., & Posnack, N. G. (2022). Demographic and Methodological Heterogeneity in Electrocardiogram Signals From Guinea Pigs. Frontiers in physiology, 13, 925042.
Presentations —
Luke Swift & Anysja Roberts. DEHP it is the best of chemicals; it is the worst of chemicals. Children’s National Hospital Heart Institute.
Anysja Roberts, Luther Swift, Blake Cooper, & Nikki Posnack. DEHP Impairs Cardiac Automaticity and Electrical Conduction. GWU School of Engineering and Applied Science R&D Showcase.
Anysja Roberts, Luther Swift, Blake Cooper, & Nikki Posnack. DEHP Impairs Cardiac Automaticity and Electrical Conduction. Greater Washington DC Area Physiological Society.
Abstracts:
Romero-Molina, C., Lysaker, C., Roberts, A., Gilmore, C., See, W. Y., Liu, Y., Pa, J., Swerdlow, R. H., Goate, A., Andrews, S. J., & Wilkins, H. (2024). Mitochondrial DNA depletion induces AD like phenotypes in neuronal and glial cells. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Awards and Honors —
Awards/Fellowships:
Biomedical Research Training Grant Recipient (2025)
ToxSpotlight Article (2024)
Outstanding Poster Presentation (2022)