Tal Nuriel, PhD

Dr. Nuriel's primary research focus is on uncovering the factors responsible for the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and discovering novel treatment methods. In order to do this, he devotes the majority of his research efforts towards investigating the biology of apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE4), the primary genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Utilizing systems biology approaches, Dr. Nuriel has discovered that APOE4 exerts unique effects on energy metabolism and neuronal activity in the entorhinal cortex, which is one of the first regions to be pathologically affected in Alzheimer's patients. Him and his team are currently working to extend these findings in order to discover novel therapeutic targets for the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, Dr. Nuriel has a secondary interest in understanding APOE4's role in the pathological activation of microglia, the primary immune cell in the brain. Him and his team are utilizing novel mouse and cell models to explore this new avenue of research, which they hope will also lead to novel therapeutic strategies for treating Alzheimer's disease in the future.