Guus Smit

Prof. Guus Smit is a Full Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), holding appointments in the Faculty of Science, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), and Amsterdam Neuroscience (divisions: Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms and Neurodegeneration). He specializes in synaptic biology, neurodegenerative disorders, and proteomics. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and synaptic dysfunction, with over 370 peer-reviewed publications. He teaches courses including Cell Biology, Neurogenomics, and From Molecule to Mind.

Key research areas include synaptic protein complexes, neurodevelopmental processes, and biomarker discovery for neurological diseases. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being. Smit collaborates internationally and leads projects analyzing genetic overlaps in neurodegenerative diseases. He has supervised 59 PhD theses and contributed to datasets on Alzheimer’s proteomics and centenarian neuropathology.

His recent publications (2025) address neuropeptide secretion mechanisms, SFRP1-driven synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s, glycine receptor proteomics, schizophrenia-immune links, and hippocampal memory engram studies. He actively shares data via platforms like Figshare and engages in open-access publishing.