Rogan plans to identify pharmacologically actionable targets that can reduce neuroinflammation to delay or prevent the development of dementia.
Recent discoveries using high-content, unbiased techniques in biology have found that adaptive immune cells, called T cells, can enter the brain and potentially attack it as we age or develop dementia. It is currently unclear why this occurs, but, as part of his 2024 Schmidt Science Fellowship, Rogan’s research aims to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms necessary to drive this dysfunction.
Ultimately he aims to target these mechanisms to prevent neurodegeneration from occurring and potentially reverse cognitive decline in ageing and dementia.
Interdisciplinary Pivot: Systems Biology to Molecular and Cell Biology