Knight Initiative News

Knight Initiative scientists report that biology, behavior, and circumstance all intertwine over a lifetime to influence how organs grow old

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia are devastating neurodegenerative diseases. Knight Initiative postdoc Yi Zeng is working to understand the role a central protein plays in both diseases—and whether it might point toward new diagnostics and treatments

Neuroradiologist Raag Airan and his lab have found a non-invasive, drug-free method to help clean the brain, reduce inflammation, and treat disease—and with Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience support, they plan to test it in people soon.

The Knight Initiative’s Fall Symposium featured researchers building new molecular atlases of the brain alongside new updates on neurodegenerative disease and what might be done about it.

Wu Tsai Neuro affiliates Thomas Montine and Alice Ting are among those joining the distinguished society of physicians.

Research from Knight Initiative Director Tony Wyss-Coray's lab show that an Alzheimer's hallmark—myriad oily droplets in brain cells called microglia—may help connect several of the disorder’s better known but not well understood features.

Neurons are built to last, but with age, bad things can happen to them. Wu Tsai Neuro affiliate Katrin Andreasson's work shows a lot of it is triggered by what’s happening to immune cells outside of the brain.

Organizers of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute’s 12th annual symposium share exciting new discoveries from the frontiers of the “gut-brain axis.”

Amyloid plaques have long been the focus of Alzheimer’s therapies. But Wu Tsai Neuro's Emmanuel Mignot and others are focusing on the stringy tangles of a protein called tau, the unsung second hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

Anne Brunet will receive a Director's Pioneer Award, and Bianxiao Cui will receive a Director's Transformative Research Award.

The genetic variant APOE4, carried by one-fifth of the world’s people, substantially boosts Alzheimer’s risk. But scientists have been puzzled about how to reverse that risk: punch up the gene variant’s potency, or smack it down? Now we know, thanks to research funded by the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience.

Researchers from around the university will collaborate to deepen our understanding of the brain.

The new work, in mice missing the autism-linked gene CNTNAP2, suggests a mechanism to help explain the overlap between epilepsy and autism.

A new study finds links between two popular models of the disease—and the results could change how researchers think about treatment.

Small cell lung cancer often metastasizes to the brain. A Stanford Medicine-led study shows the cancer cells form synapses with neurons, and signaling across these synapses encourages tumor growth.

Stanford undergrads and local community college students paired with Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute researchers to find new ways to head off strokes, predict Alzheimer's disease, and more.

A study of killifish reveals how protein dysfunction develops in vertebrate brain cells, a key driver of aging – shedding light on cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS.

Knight Initiative researchers used a new lab model of aging human neurons to show that as cells age, lysosomes fall into disrepair and waste builds up—feeding a damaging cycle that could lead to Alzheimer’s.

Blood and cerebrospinal fluid markers tied to inflammation and metabolism sort some patients into subgroups, according to Knight Initiative researchers, a step toward predicting progression and tailoring care.

The technique, which used genetically healthy donor cells, prolonged life and function in mice with a disease similar to Tay-Sachs. It may help with other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.