Li-Huei Tsai

Professor Tsai is a leader in understanding the molecular pathophysiology and systems neuroscience of neurological disorders affecting cognition. Her work has brought new mechanisms for learning, memory and neurodegeneration to light and suggests new paths for combatting age-related memory loss.

Landmark discoveries include pinpointing major genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease among immune genes, identifying chromatin-modifiers and the protein kinase Cdk5 that regulate brain flexibility and ways to target them to improve cognition in Alzheimer’s disease, discovering that genomic integrity is critical for neuronal protection during both aging and neurodegenerative disease, and showing that bolstering gamma rhythm power and coherence with non-invasive sensory stimulation promotes a neuroprotective response among multiple brain cell types including microglia and the vasculature.

In 2019, Dr. Tsai won the Hans Wigzell Prize in Medicine for her innovative research in trying to understand the etiology and possible treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. She is a recipient of the Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award of the Society for Neuroscience, and Young Investigator Award, Metropolitan Life Foundation.

She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a fellow of the National Academy of Medicine, of the National Academy of Inventors, Elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of Taiwan’s Academia Sinica.

On twitter: @DrLiHueiTsai