Tsuneya Ikezu

Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D., Ph.D., is a Professor of Neuroscience and Consultant in the Department of Neuroscience at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. He leads the Molecular Neurotherapeutics Laboratory, which is part of the Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics and focuses on the development of novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Ikezu's research is centered on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. His work spans neuroimmunology, extracellular vesicle biology, gene therapy, and human iPSC-based disease modeling. He has made key contributions to understanding how microglia and extracellular vesicles mediate the spread of pathological tau in the brain.

• Neuroimmune regulation of neurodegeneration
• Tau propagation via extracellular vesicles
• Microglial phenotyping in Alzheimer's disease
• Gene therapy using AAV vectors
• Proteomic and lipidomic biomarker discovery
• CRISPR-engineered human iPSC models

His recent publications reflect a strong focus on intercellular communication in neurodegeneration, with an emphasis on EV-mediated tau transfer, microglial activation states, and the development of biotherapeutics. The use of multi-omics approaches and advanced imaging underscores the interdisciplinary nature of his research.

Dr. Ikezu has received numerous scientific honors, including:

• Florida Investigator of the Year (2023)
• Jack Spivack Distinguished Scientist in Neuroscience (2018)
• Inge Grundke-Iqbal Award for Alzheimer's Research (2016)
• Distinguished Scientist Award, University of Nebraska Medical Center (2010)

He has served as a standing member of the NIH Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor study section (2018–2022) and holds editorial roles in several journals, including Extracellular Vesicles and Cellular Nucleic Acids and Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. His lab mentors postdoctoral fellows and students, and actively collaborates on translational research projects aimed at developing disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative conditions.

The Molecular Neurotherapeutics Laboratory employs a comprehensive approach combining animal models, human biospecimens, and iPSC-derived neural cells to dissect disease mechanisms and accelerate therapeutic discovery. The lab is a key component of Mayo Clinic's neuroscience research enterprise, with strong ties to clinical programs in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.