Dennis J. Selkoe

Dennis J. Selkoe (born September 25, 1943 in New York City ) is an American physician ( neurologist ), known for research on the molecular basis of Alzheimer's disease .

Selkoe studied at Columbia University (Bachelor 1965) and at the University of Virginia School of Medicine (MD 1969). He then began his specialist training (internship) at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. From 1970 to 1972 he conducted research at the National Institutes of Health and then continued his residency as a neurologist at the Peter Bent Brigham Children's Hospital and Beth Israel Hospital in Boston . From 1975 he was an instructor and from 1978 assistant professor at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston. From 1985 he was Co-Director of the Center for Neurological Diseases and from 1990 Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School (Vincent and Stella Coates Professor of Neurological Diseases).

In 1978 he founded a laboratory at Brigham and Woman's Hospital to apply biochemical and cell biological methods to the study of degenerative neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease .

In 1982 he and his colleagues isolated the clusters of neurofibrils typical of Alzheimer's disease and described their chemical properties. With other laboratories he showed that the tau protein of the microfibrils is their main component. With his laboratory, he also conducted extensive research on the second pathogenic component, senile plaques made of beta-amyloid (Aβ). In 1992 they discovered that Aβ is also formed from its precursor APP in normal cells . The study of these processes led to the identification of inhibitors for the formation of Aβ. With his laboratory, Selkoe was also able to show that innate mutations in the APP genes and the presenilin genes cause Alzheimer's (increased Aβ production). In 1999 Selke and his colleagues identified presenilin as the previously long sought-after gamma-secretase, one of the enzymes in the pathogenic conversion of APP to Aβ in Alzheimer's disease. In his laboratory it was also shown that small, soluble oligomers from Aβ can damage the synapses and influence memory performance.

He was the founder of the pharmaceutical company Athena Neurosciences (now Elan Pharmaceuticals).

In 2001 he was one of the founders of the Harvard Medical Center for Neurodegeneration and Repair.

He has received several awards for his Alzheimer's research. In 2002 he received the AH-Heineken Prize for Medicine , he received the Rita Hayworth Award from the Alzheimer's Association (1995), the Wood Kalb Foundation Prize (1984), the Potamkin Award and the Metropolitan Life Foundation Award. In 1991 he received an honorary doctorate from Harvard. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institute of Medicine.

Christian Haass is one of his post-doctoral students .

Web links

• Website of his laboratory