Berislav Zlokovic

Berislav Zlokovic is a leading neuroscientist and Professor & Chair of the Department of Physiology & Biophysics at the Keck School of Medicine (KSOM), University of Southern California (USC). He currently serves as Director of the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute (ZNI) and the Center for Neurodegeneration and Regeneration at USC. Previously, he held professorships at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and directed the Center for Neurodegenerative and Brain Vascular Disorders there.

• Current Roles: Professor & Chair (USC), Director (ZNI and Center for Neurodegeneration & Regeneration)
• Prior Roles: Professor of Neurosurgery & Neurology (URMC), Dean's Professor (URMC), Director of Laboratory for Neuroscience (USC)

Research Focus: Dr. Zlokovic’s scholarship centers on the blood-brain barrier, brain microcirculation, and pericyte biology in neurovascular units. His work explores vascular contributions to Alzheimer’s disease, ischemic stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders, with a focus on Aβ peptide transport, activated protein C pathways, and brain vascular dysfunction.

Scientific Recognition:

• NIH MERIT Award (2004)
• ISOA/Elan Award (2006)
• Potamkin Prize (2009)
• Javits Award (2007)
• AAAS Fellow (2013)
• Thomson Reuters Most Influential Scientific Minds (2014)

Dr. Zlokovic’s career spans prestigious institutions including USC and URMC, with a legacy of leadership in neurodegenerative disease research.