Julia TCW

Julia TCW is an Assistant Professor at Boston University, leading a research laboratory focused on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) mechanisms, particularly the role of the APOE4 genetic variant in human brain cells. Her lab integrates CRISPR/Cas9 genome-edited induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), multi-omics bioinformatics, and 3D brain organoid models to study neuroinflammation, lipid metabolism, and glial dysfunction in AD pathogenesis. She holds a Ph.D. and A.M. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Harvard University.

Her research investigates: 1) APOE4-driven disruptions in cholesterol homeostasis and matrisome pathways; 2) iPSC-derived microglia/astrocyte responses to AD risks; 3) Computational pipelines for genetic subtyping and drug repositioning. Key methodologies include developing human brain pericytes, microglia, and 3D organoids for high-throughput drug screening, with active industry collaborations for therapeutic discovery.

Recent publications (2023–2025) emphasize APOE4 pathology in glial cells, revealing impaired lipophagy, cellular senescence, and neurovascular defects. Computational studies advance genetic risk modeling and multi-omics data integration, while experimental work validates targets like BIN1 and IL1RAP in neuronal-glial interactions. Her team is pioneering chimeric mouse models to dissect APOE3/APOE4 astrocyte effects in vivo.

Dr. TCW's lab actively develops next-generation human brain models and computational tools to bridge molecular insights with clinical translation for Alzheimer's therapeutics.