Mathias Jucker

It was great fun to measure NfL in all these species—not many people have the chance to analyze blood from elephants, crocodiles, lizards, and turtles. To better understand age-related changes and predict mortality across an even wider range of species, we now require additional samples.

Neurofilament light chain may serve as a cross-species blood biomarker to assess aging and predict mortality.
Carina Bergmann et al.
PLOS Biology (2026).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003606

Neurofilament light chain may serve as a cross-species blood biomarker to assess aging and predict mortality Blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) increase with age in healthy humans and can predict all-cause human mortality, but is this true across species? This study shows that NfL age-related bl...

Neurofilament Light (NfL) may serve as a cross-species blood biomarker for assessing ageing interventions and predicting mortality! #Wilhelma
#Vetsuisse @plosbiology.org
@dzne.science
@hih-tuebingen.bsky.social
@unituebingen.bsky.social I PLOS Biology: dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...

The Smarcal1-Usp37 locus modulates glycogen aggregation in astrocytes of the aged hippocampus Gómez-Pascual et al. identified that in the aged murine hippocampus, astrocytes with impaired autophagy accumulate polyglucosan bodies. Their burden, which is modulated by the Smarcal1-Usp37 locus, va...

We discovered these astrocytic inclusion over 25 y ago (e.g. DOI: 10.1126/science.1542796). Very satisfying to finally see the genetic linkage. Great work! The Smarcal1-Usp37 locus modulates glycogen aggregation in astrocytes of the aged hippocampus: Cell Systems www.cell.com/cell-systems...

Vasiliki made the cover of the December issue www.cell.com/cell-reports...

Chimeric human organoid and mouse brain slice co-cultures to study microglial function Panagiotakopoulou et al. developed a co-culture system combining human cerebral organoids and mouse brain slices. The model supports long-term study of human microglia, enhances cortical marker expres...

Human – mouse chimeric cultures to study microglia and amyloid pathology; This is a very exciting approach with lots of potential. Congratulations to Vasiliki Panagiotakopoulou! Cell Reports www.cell.com/cell-reports...

J&J abandons Alzheimer's antibody in setback for tau Hopes that anti-tau drugs could emerge as treatments for Alzheimer's have been dented by the failure of a phase 2b trial of J&J's posdinemab.

Hopes that anti-#tau drugs could join those targeting #amyloid as treatments for #Alzheimers disease have been dented by the failure of a phase 2b trial of #JohnsonandJohnson's posdinemab.

Amyloid‐β Seeds in Alzheimer's Disease: Research Challenges and Implications The amyloid cascade hypothesis places amyloid-β (Aβ) at the center of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Evidence suggests that AD progresses in two phases: an early phase driven by Aβ aggregatio...

An excellent review of Abeta seeds by my current and former students and postdocs. Abeta seeds are becoming increasingly important as immunotherapy moves towards presymptomatic stages. doi.org/10.1111/jnc....

My choice this week in @science.org
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Brain-wide microglia replacement using a nonconditioning strategy ameliorates pathology in mouse models of neurological disorders A tricyclic depletion protocol allows for microglia replacement without preconditioning and mitigates pathology in mouse models of neurodegeneration.

I'm curious to know if the microglia repopulation would also work via blood. - Brain-wide microglia replacement using a nonconditioning strategy ameliorates pathology in mouse models of neurological disorders | Science Translational Medicine www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Safety and efficacy of long-term gantenerumab treatment in dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease: an open-label extension of the phase 2/3 multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled ... Amyloid plaque removal by monoclonal antibody therapies slows clinical progression in symptomatic Alzheimer's disease; however, the potential for dela…

Long-term full amyloid removal potentially delayed symptom onset and dementia progression! Findings from the DIAN study. sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Join us for a Master's in Neuroscience in Tübingen, Germany. www.neuroschool-tuebingen.de/application/...

The unfolding story of protein mis-folding causing Alzheimer’s disease in recipients of human pituitary growth hormone Abstract. Human growth hormone (hGH) has been in clinical use for children with GH deficiency (GHD) since the late 1950s. The original formulations were co

Great summary of the history of early growth hormone preparations and their link to iatrogenic CJD and Alzheimer. Unfolding story of protein mis-folding causing Alzheimer’s disease in recipients of human pituitary growth hormone. , doi.org/10.1210/jend...

One more day to apply for these neurodegeneration professorships!

Dear Donald Trump: A letter from Nature on how to make science thrive The US federal government can harness science to secure the health, prosperity and safety of Americans and the world.

Dear Donald Trump: A letter from Nature on how to make science thrive and why it matters for the health, prosperity and safety of people of America and the world

🧪

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

In vivo base editing extends lifespan of a humanized mouse model of prion disease - Nature Medicine An in vivo base editing approach targeting the PRNP gene led to a 52% increase in the lifespan of mouse models inoculated with the most common sporadic and genetic types of human pathogenic prion isol...

amazing! doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Nature Careers | Science jobs | Choose from 1,225 live vacancies Search for your next job from 1,225 live vacancies, or upload your CV now and let recruiters find you

Two flagship chair professorships for neurodgenerative diseases in Tübingen, Germany. Both affiliated with our university @hih-tuebingen.bsky.social and the German Center for Neurodegenerative diseases @dzne.science. Apply and join us!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...

Why probability probably doesn’t exist (but it is useful to act like it does) All of statistics and much of science depends on probability — an astonishing achievement, considering no one’s really sure what it is.

What a cool read and quiz about confidence! Why probability probably doesn’t exist (but it is useful to act like it does)https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-04096-5

Nature Careers | Science jobs | Choose from 1,225 live vacancies Search for your next job from 1,225 live vacancies, or upload your CV now and let recruiters find you

Two flagship chair professorships for neurodgenerative diseases in Tübingen, Germany. Both affiliated with our university @hih-tuebingen.bsky.social and the German Center for Neurodegenerative diseases @dzne.science. Apply and join us!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...

Now that #lecanemab (#Leqembi) has been approved in Europe, we have updated our #Alzheimer game! Play and find out when is the best time to start immunotherapy. Play at --> hih-tuebingen.de/alzheimer/game

Comparative neurofilament light chain trajectories in CSF and plasma in autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease - Nature Communications This study supports neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) in both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood as an early marker of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease but suggests that NfL in CSF may ...

Trajectories of neurofilament light chain (a presumed marker of neurodegeneration) in CSF and blood over the entire course of (autosomal dominant) #Alzheimer's. doi.org/10.1038/s414.... Great collaboration with Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) @dzne.science @hih-tuebingen.bsky.social

The prion principle and Alzheimer’s disease Similarities to molecular mechanisms underlying prion diseases may help to refine Alzheimer’s disease therapies

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...