Dr. Butovsky’s major scientific interest is to understand the biology of resident microglia and peripheral inflammatory monocytes in homeostasis and neurodegenerative conditions. During his Ph.D. studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science, he investigated the role of microglia in regulating Aβ plaque deposition in AD models and the role of microglia in neurogenesis. He identified subpopulations of microglia and demonstrated how microglia can be both beneficial and detrimental in the context of neurodegeneration (PNAS, 2006; JCI 2006). Dr. Butovsky’s recent studies, published in JCI, 2012, Nat. Neurosci, 2014, J. Exp. Med. 2014, 2015, Nat. Neurosci, 2015 and Ann. Neurol. 2015, have identified a unique microglial signature in both mice and humans and are elucidating the relationship of microglia to CNS disease including AD, MS, and ALS. The above-mentioned findings prompted him to investigate further the role of innate immunity in AD. With the new knowledge gained, he hopes to address fundamental questions of the role of microglia in neurodegenerative conditions and apply this knowledge towards the development of novel immune-based targeting therapies for AD.

To learn more about the Butovsky lab, please visit butovskylab.bwh.harvard.edu.

Twitter: @OlegButovsky, @ButovskyLab