Delphine Boche

Professor Delphine Boche is a Professor of Neuroimmunopathology within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton. Her research focuses on understanding neuroinflammation and its consequences in patients affected by neurological diseases, with particular emphasis on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Her academic journey began with a PhD at Pasteur Institute, Paris in 1997, where she worked on AIDS encephalopathy using animal models. She joined the University of Southampton in 1999, initially working in the Centre of Biological Sciences under Professor Hugh Perry, before moving to the Faculty of Medicine in 2004 to investigate Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology.

Professor Boche's primary research interests encompass:

• Neuroimmunology and neurodegeneration
• Immunophenotyping of immune cells in neurological conditions
• Human brain pathology
• Ageing and systemic inflammation
• Microglial studies in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

Her recent research publications reveal a strong focus on neuroinflammation mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and glioblastoma. The work spans from fundamental studies of microglial phenotypes to clinical applications of immunotherapies and their side effects. A notable trend is the interdisciplinary approach combining neuropathology, immunology, and advanced imaging techniques to understand the complex interplay between inflammation and neurodegeneration.

Professor Boche has received several prestigious awards throughout her career:

• Bourse Roux (Institut Pasteur Fellowship, 1998)
• European Marie Curie Individual Fellowship (2000)
• MRC New Investigator Award (2006)
• Wellcome Trust Value in People (2009)

As an academic supervisor, Professor Boche currently mentors four PhD students across various neuroscience and immunology-related programs. Her external roles include serving as Editor-in-Chief of Alzheimer's Research & Therapy (since 2023), Chair of BRAIN UK (since 2022), and membership on several prestigious boards including The Royal Society and the European Scientific Advisory Board.

She leads multiple research projects investigating immunophenotyping microglia in neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lew bodies, schizophrenia, and glioblastoma, as well as exploring the impact of systemic inflammation on microglial phenotype and brain pathology.