Prion Research Institute

The Prion Research Institute is an organization dedicated to studying prions—misfolded proteins that can cause rare but serious brain diseases in humans and animals. These infectious agents differ from bacteria or viruses because they are simply proteins without DNA or RNA. The institute's work focuses on understanding how prions form, spread, and cause damage, aiming to develop better diagnostics, treatments, and preventive measures. Their research is crucial for tackling diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease), contributing to public health and scientific knowledge about these complex proteins.