Wilson Lab
Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Stanford University
Wilson Lab
Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Stanford University
Welcome! Our laboratory studies the mechanisms underlying complex neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Our techniques range from cellular neurobiology to population studies and clinical trials. We're interested in identifying new disease-related biological pathways, evaluating new experimental therapeutics, and developing new disease-specific biomarkers.
Our Research Focus
1
Cellular Biology of Alzheimer's Disease
We are interested in the complex processes that occur during the early development of Alzheimer’s disease, with particular focus on the damaging actions of maladaptive immune activation. Experimental therapeutic approaches include reprogramming immune cell metabolism to extend the health of these important brain cells.
2
Unraveling the Biological Substrates of Risk and Resilience in Alzheimer’s Disease
Resilience refers to the maintenance of health despite the presence of otherwise determinant biological or genetic risk factors. We investigate the underlying cellular pathways that confer AD risk and resilience by examining patient-derived cells from resilient and affected individuals using multiomic approaches together with functional assays.
3
Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration
Our lab has an active research program developing biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. We support activities of the Stanford Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and other Stanford studies including clinical trials, by providing biofluid biomarker analysis. A long-term research effort for the lab is the CAVU Program – an ambitious undertaking to develop a blood-based biomarker panel sensitive to the broad spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases.