Lisa Elia, PhD, investigates the cellular mechanisms that underlie neurodegeneration. Using both rodent cell models and human patient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), she is searching for therapeutic targets for currently incurable conditions such as frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. By combining cell models with innovative microscopy techniques and artificial intelligence, her work has identified critical pathways involved in normal neuronal aging, and established platforms that can be used to screen for new therapies for neurodegenerative disease.

Disease Areas

Frontotemporal Dementia
Parkinson’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Areas of Expertise

iPSC Disease Modeling
High-Content Microscopy
High-Throughput Functional Screening
Neurodegeneration
Neuroinflammation
Working in the Elia lab

Lab Focus

Developing cell-based models of neurodegenerative disease.
Using high-content imaging and artificial intelligence to discover disease-related patterns and mechanisms in cell models.
Leveraging phenotypic screens for drug discovery.

Research Impact

Elia’s research is focused on discovering the cellular mechanisms that underlie normal neuronal aging, as well as those that give rise to neurodegenerative disease. By combining rodent and human patient cell-based models with fluorescent biosensors, high-content imaging, and artificial intelligence, her work has helped reveal critical roles of the cellular proteostasis network, specifically the autophagy-lysosome pathway and neuroinflammation, in neuronal health and disease. Using small molecule and genetic screens, she has identified novel modulators of these pathways and potential therapeutic candidates for currently incurable diseases, including frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

 

Lab Members