LAFERLA LAB

The goal of my lab is to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms
underlying brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. 

Research & Goals

Alzheimer’s | 21st Century Plague

The human brain is the most complex structure in the universe. My lab seeks to understand the processes that cause the brain to stop remembering, such as what occurs in people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
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blue head brain puzzle

Goal

The LaFerla lab aims make our memories last a lifetime by studying animal models and affected human subjects to understand the causes and processes of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Innovation

The LaFerla lab has developed several new and exciting transgenic models that will enable scientists world-wide to advance our understanding of Alzheimer’s etiology.

Research

Research from the LaFerla lab has led to several breakthroughs in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, including new insights into the interactions between amyloid-ß (Aß) plaques and tau-laden neurofibrillary tangles.

Frank M. LaFerla, PhD

Dr. Lionel and Fay Ng Dean and Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology and Behavior, UCI School of Biological Sciences

Frank M. LaFerla, Ph.D., is the Dr. Lionel and Fay Ng dean of the UCI School of Biological Sciences and a Distingusihed Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior. He joined UCI in 1995 as an assistant professor and later served as chair of Neurobiology and Behavior from 2010 to 2013 and the director of the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) from 2009 – 2018.

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Latest News

The UCI BioSci 2023 Dean’s Report showcases the growth, teaching and research advancements made at the school during the last academic year. This year’s Dean’s Report is focused on our home state of California. We hope to call attention to some of the work being done by faculty at the School of Biological Sciences that has a direct impact on the state’s residents and ecosystems, from climate change to diabetes research and much more.