Josef Priller

Prof. Dr. Josef Priller is a Professor at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). He leads an interdisciplinary team of neurologists, psychiatrists, and neuropsychologists researching neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

His research explores neuroimmunology, particularly the role of microglia in central nervous system homeostasis and degeneration. The laboratory uses advanced techniques such as RNA sequencing, mass cytometry, and bioenergetic analysis to phenotype myeloid cells from blood and CNS. Translational efforts include repurposing licensed drugs that modulate proteostasis and utilizing patient-derived pluripotent stem cells for disease modeling and drug screening.

The team coordinates major longitudinal studies: DELCODE (focusing on early detection of Alzheimer's disease) and DESCRIBE-FTD (investigating frontotemporal dementia). They have conducted industry-sponsored phase 1-3 clinical trials and investigator-initiated trials, including studies on green tea EGCG as a potential neuroprotective agent. Additionally, the group has contributed to clinical guidelines for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.