Neuroimmunology and Neurodegenerative Diseases

עברית

 

ResearcherResearch Focus
Prof. Okun Eitan

  1. The functional role of the immune system in Alzheimer's disease

  2. How fetal development influences maternal cognitive decline
  3. Developing vaccines for Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome
Prof. Emeritus Brodie Chaya
  1. Cancer stem cells from brain tumors for analyzing disease mechanisms and for drug and cell therapy screening
  2. Three dimensional human cultures - novel models of neural rare disorders and muscular dystrophies
  3. Exosomes in intercellular communication and drug delivery in neural and muscle diseases and brain tumors.
  4. Non-coding RNAs in cancer and degenerative disorders
  5. Unique signaling pathways in brain tumors and neurodegenerative diseases

Prof. Eitan Okun

Mechanism of how Sex and Pregnancy affect Neuroimmunology and Age-related Brain Diseases

How does the immune system influence how we think, remember, and age? The brain does not work alone. It is in constant communication with the immune system, and this dialogue powerfully shapes cognition across life and during disease.

What the lab explores. The lab studies how immune activity outside the brain influences memory, aging, and vulnerability to brain disorders such as Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome, and how biological sex modulates these effects. A unique line of research investigates how pregnancy and fetal development leave lasting marks on the mother’s brain. This work shows how immune signals transferred during pregnancy can reshape brain function and affect cognition many years later, opening new possibilities for prevention. The lab views brain disease as a whole body process that connects immunity, development, and aging.

The lab utilized methods that include Cell sequencing, advanced whole-brain imaging, unique transgenic mouse models, immunology, and behavioral studies.

Hobbies:  Classic rock, guitars, and everything in between.