Leah Cuddy

Dr. Leah Cuddy serves as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology (Behavioral Neurology) at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research focuses on molecular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease pathology through the study of rare genetic variants.

Her primary research interests include:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE1) genetic variants in Alzheimer's pathogenesis
• Neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation mechanisms
• Protein clearance pathway disruptions in amyloid-beta and alpha-synuclein aggregation
• Potential repurposing of FDA-approved hypertension medications for Alzheimer's treatment

Recent publications reveal a strong focus on gut-brain axis interactions in Alzheimer's, ACE1-related vascular mechanisms in aging, and genetic associations between ACE inhibition and dementia risk. Her work bridges molecular neuroscience with translational pharmacology, particularly examining how existing hypertension drugs might modify Alzheimer's progression.

Dr. Cuddy maintains active collaborations with Northwestern's Alzheimer's research teams and has contributed to significant findings regarding the renin-angiotensin system's role in neurodegeneration. Her laboratory investigates both fundamental disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions targeting protein aggregation pathways.