Dana Giulian, M.D., Ph.D.

Neurology

The immunopathology of dementia

Dr. Giulian was honored for his study of brain diseases. He helped establish a new area of neuro-immunopathology which concerns microglia, a brain inflammatory cell. His recent work on mechanisms of neuron injury has identified microglia as a source of neurotoxins. Discovery of these toxic agents in the dementia of AIDS and in Alzheimer’s disease opens the way for new treatments of neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Guilian’s nomination was based on the following publications:

TGiulian D, Li J, Bartel S, Broker J, Li X, Kirkpatrick JB." Cell surface morphology identifies microglia as a distinct class of mononuclear phagocyte. ". J Neurosci. 1995 Nov;15(11):7712-26.

Giulian D, Haverkamp LJ, Yu JH, Karshin W, Tom D, Li J, Kirkpatrick J, Kuo LM, Roher AE. " Specific domains of beta-amyloid from Alzheimer plaque elicit neuron killing in human microglia.". J Neurosci. 1996 Oct 1;16(19):6021-37.

Giulian D, Yu J, Li X, Tom D, Li J, Wendt E, Lin SN, Schwarcz R, Noonan C." Study of receptor-mediated neurotoxins released by HIV-1-infected mononuclear phagocytes found in human brain. ". Neurosci. 1996 May 15;16(10):3139-53.