Lezi E

Dr. Lezi E is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy (CBNA) at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Her research focuses on understanding molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, particularly the role of non-neuronal signals in aging. She holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Kansas Medical Center and completed postdoctoral training at Duke University.

• Education:
• PhD: University of Kansas Medical Center (Rehabilitation Science)
• Postdoctoral: Duke University (Neurobiology)
• MB: Peking University (Medicine)

Research Interests: Dr. E investigates how non-neuronal tissues communicate with neurons during aging, focusing on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), tissue aging effects, and inter-individual differences in neurodegeneration susceptibility. Her work uses Caenorhabditis elegans models combined with genetics, molecular biology, and live imaging.

Key Findings: Her lab has revealed that skin-expressed AMPs can trigger neurodegeneration via neuronal receptors, challenging traditional cell-autonomous views of aging. Current projects explore how aging in non-neuronal tissues (skin, muscle, intestine) directly influences neuronal health using transcriptomics and multi-omic approaches.

Lab Activities: The laboratory emphasizes interdisciplinary methods to dissect systemic aging signals and their neural consequences, with implications for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related neurodegenerative conditions.