Hande Ozdinler

Dr. Hande Ozdinler is an Associate Professor in the Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, where she directs the Ozdinler Lab focused on upper motor neuron biology and pathology. Her research is supported by multiple institutional affiliations including the Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Les Turner ALS Center, Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, and the Northwestern University Institute of Neuroscience.

Dr. Ozdinler earned her PhD from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 2002. Her research career has been dedicated to understanding selective neuronal vulnerability, particularly in corticospinal motor neurons affected in diseases like ALS, primary lateral sclerosis, and hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Her laboratory investigates multiple aspects of upper motor neuron health and disease, with major research thrusts in biomarker discovery, drug development (particularly the compound NU-9), high-throughput drug screening platforms, electrophysiological characterization of diseased neurons, and gene therapy approaches. Her work has revealed that NU-9 improves neuronal health by addressing protein aggregation, mitochondrial instability, and endoplasmic reticulum integrity issues across multiple neurodegenerative conditions.

Analysis of Dr. Ozdinler's recent publications shows a strong focus on protein interactome analyses (particularly TDP-43 and spastin), mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS, high-resolution neuronal network analysis using microelectrode arrays, and the development of targeted therapeutic approaches for upper motor neuron diseases. Her research increasingly integrates multi-omics approaches to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

• CLP Cornew Innovation Award, CLP at Northwestern (2022)
• INVO N.XT Award for Drug Discovery, Northwestern University (2017)
• One of 10 Most Innovative Research of 2015, International Innovation (2016)
• Top 30 Most Influential Turkish American Women in USA, Turk of America (2016)

Dr. Ozdinler has mentored numerous students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to successful careers in academia, industry, and medicine. Her laboratory has received significant grant support, including a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute on Aging for ALS drug discovery research. She serves on editorial boards for Somatosensory and Motor Research and Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, and chairs AKAVA Therapeutics' scientific advisory board. The Ozdinler Lab maintains active collaborations with multiple research centers and has developed innovative approaches to studying upper motor neuron diseases, including high-density microelectrode array systems and novel gene delivery methods.