Michel Goedert

Michel Goedert is a Research Leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), University of Cambridge, specializing in the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. His work establishes the critical role of tau and alpha-synuclein proteins in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and related disorders through structural and pathological analyses.

His research focuses on pathological protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases, utilizing cutting-edge cryo-EM to determine atomic structures of amyloid filaments. Key contributions include demonstrating that tau filaments define frontotemporal dementias, alpha-synuclein filaments characterize Parkinson's and Lewy body disorders, and disease-specific filament conformations enable structural classification of tauopathies and synucleinopathies. His group develops in vitro models replicating human brain filaments to study disease mechanisms.

Recent publications reveal distinct filament folds across neurodegenerative conditions: Alzheimer's shares conformations with primary age-related tauopathy, while Parkinson's and dementia with Lewy bodies share alpha-synuclein folds differing from multiple system atrophy. This structural taxonomy revolutionizes disease classification and therapeutic targeting.

Goedert collaborates extensively with Sjors Scheres' group and leads a research team including Yeongjin Baek, Melissa Huang, Sofia Lövestam, Jennifer Macdonald, and John Walker. His work appears in top journals including Nature, Science, and Acta Neuropathologica, driving advances in understanding protein aggregation pathologies.