Lindsay De Biase

Lindsay M. De Biase is an Associate Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, with dual appointments in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology. Her research focuses on microglial regional specialization and its impact on basal ganglia circuits, synaptic function, and aging-related neuroinflammation.

• Education: PhD in Neuroscience (Johns Hopkins, 2011), B.S. in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology (Yale, 2003)

Key research areas include:

• Lysosome and mitochondrial function in glial cells
• Microglial-astrocyte interactions
• Development and aging of basal ganglia circuits
• Extracellular matrix remodeling in cognitive aging

The De Biase Lab investigates how microglia integrate mitochondrial signals, lysosomal challenges, and extracellular matrix cues to modulate synaptic health in aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Scientific Awards:

• 2021 Stanley Fahn Junior Faculty Award
• 2021 McKnight Brain Research Foundation Innovator Award
• 2019 Glen Foundation Grant
• 2018 NARSAD Young Investigator Award

Her work is supported by the Glen Foundation, Parkinson's Foundation, and NIH/NIA, with recent studies revealing region-specific microglial responses to aging and stress. The lab also trains graduate students like Katherine Espinoza, who completed her PhD in 2024.