Hongjun Fu, PhD

My research focuses on understanding which subtypes of neurons are vulnerable to tau pathology in early AD and other tauopathies as well as the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the selective cellular and network vulnerability. In particular, I am interested in investigating the role of cell-autonomous (neurons) versus cell non-autonomous (microglia and/or astrocytes) effects as well as aging in selective vulnerability to proteinopathies in neurodegenerative diseases. We use a multidisciplinary approach that combines neuropathology, mouse genetics, neurobehavioral tests, stem cell biology, confocal and light-sheet microscopy, molecular and cell biological approaches, single cell or single nucleus RNA-Seq, and spatial transcriptomic analysis. The long-term goal of our studies is to identify the molecular determinants underlying the selective vulnerability of neurodegenerative diseases and to develop effective therapeutics targeting identified molecular determinants for preventing, treating and/or delaying the progression of those diseases.