Caghan Kizil

Caghan Kizil, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences at Columbia University, affiliated with the Taub Institute and Neurology department. He leads research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neurodegeneration mechanisms, focusing on neural regeneration, stem cell plasticity, and translational therapies using zebrafish models.

Education:

• BSc, 2003 – Middle East Technical University, Turkey
• MSc, 2005 – Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany
• PhD, 2009 – Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Germany

Research Interests:

His lab integrates multi-omics approaches, gene editing, and in vitro models to uncover AD pathogenesis and identify therapeutic targets. Key areas include neurogenesis enhancement, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and epigenetic regulation of tau phosphorylation.

Awards:

• 2021 Schaefer Research Scholar Award (Columbia University)
• 2013 Helmholtz Association Young Investigator Award
• 2005 Max Planck Society fellowship

Labs & Collaborations: The Kizil Lab (kizillab.org) develops chemical screening platforms and leverages clinical data-driven models to advance AD drug discovery.