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Joachim Herz, M.D.

Joachim Herz, M.D.

Professor

Endowed Title
Presbyterian Village North Foundation Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutic Research; Thomas O. and Cinda Hicks Family Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Research
School
Medical School
Department
Molecular Genetics | Neurology | Neuroscience
Graduate Programs
Neuroscience
  • Biography

    Joachim Herz graduated from Medical School at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, in 1983. He continued training as a resident in surgery in Germany and England until he joined the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in 1985. There, he received training in Molecular Biology and conducted research work that included the identification and cloning of a novel member of the LDL receptor gene family, the LDL receptor-related protein (LRP). In 1989 Dr. Herz joined the Department of Molecular Genetics where in 1998 he attained his current position of Professor. He is the holder of the Thomas O. Hicks Family Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research and the Presbyterian Village North Foundation Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutic Research. 

    Dr. Herz’s current research focuses on the the molecular mechanisms by which the members of the LDL receptor gene family function as signaling and endocytic receptors in the brain and in the vascular wall.  Recent work from his laboratory have revealed therapeutically amenable mechanisms that can be exploited for the development of novel treatment approaches for Multiple Sclerosis and the prevention of late-onset Alzheimer's Disease. 

  • Education
    Medical School
    Heidelberg University (1983), Medicine
  • Research Interest
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
    • Frontotemporal Dementia
    • Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Synaptic Physiology and Alzheimer's Disease
  • Publications

    Star Featured Publications

    Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured
    Apoer2/Lrp8: the undercover cop of synaptic homeostasis.
    Werthmann GC, Herz J, Neural Regen Res 2024 Dec 19 12 2563-2564
    Reelin differentially shapes dendrite morphology of medial entorhinal cortical ocean and island cells.
    Hamad MIK, Daoud S, Petrova P, Rabaya O, Jbara A, Al Houqani S, BaniYas S, Alblooshi M, Almheiri A, Nakhal MM, Ali BR, Shehab S, Allouh MZ, Emerald BS, Schneider-Lódi M, Bataineh MF, Herz J, Förster E, Development 2024 Jul 151 13
    Benzoxazole-derivatives enhance progranulin expression and reverse the aberrant lysosomal proteome caused by GRN haploinsufficiency.
    Tesla R, Guhl C, Werthmann GC, Dixon D, Cenik B, Addepalli Y, Liang J, Fass DM, Rosenthal Z, Haggarty SJ, Williams NS, Posner BA, Ready JM, Herz J, Nat Commun 2024 Jul 15 1 6125
    Advancements in APOE and dementia research: Highlights from the 2023 AAIC Advancements: APOE conference.
    Kloske CM, Belloy ME, Blue EE, Bowman GR, Carrillo MC, Chen X, Chiba-Falek O, Davis AA, Paolo GD, Garretti F, Gate D, Golden LR, Heinecke JW, Herz J, Huang Y, Iadecola C, Johnson LA, Kanekiyo T, Karch CM, Khvorova A, Koppes-den Hertog SJ, Lamb BT, Lawler PE, Guen YL, Litvinchuk A, Liu CC, Mahinrad S, Marcora E, Marino C, Michaelson DM, Miller JJ, Morganti JM, Narayan PS, Naslavsky MS, Oosthoek M, Ramachandran KV, Ramakrishnan A, Raulin AC, Robert A, Saleh RNM, Sexton C, Shah N, Shue F, Sible IJ, Soranno A, Strickland MR, Tcw J, Thierry M, Tsai LH, Tuckey RA, Ulrich JD, van der Kant R, Wang N, Wellington CL, Weninger SC, Yassine HN, Zhao N, Bu G, Goate AM, Holtzman DM, Alzheimers Dement 2024 Jul
    Reelin Regulates Developmental Desynchronization Transition of Neocortical Network Activity.
    Hamad MIK, Rabaya O, Jbara A, Daoud S, Petrova P, Ali BR, Allouh MZ, Herz J, Förster E, Biomolecules 2024 May 14 5
  • Books

    Featured 

  • Honors & Awards
    • Harrington Innovator Award
      (2019)
    • NIH CMND Study Section
      Standing Member (2019)
    • Presbyterian Village North Foundation
      Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutic Research (2017)
    • NIH Merit Award
      (2015-2020)
    • Alexander Humboldt Foundation, Germany
      Advisory Board (2014)
    • Pitt-Hopkins Research Foundation
      Advisory Board (2014)
    • Alexander-von-Humboldt Professorship
      (2009)
    • Heinrich-Wieland Prized
      International Lipid Research Award (2007)
    • Thomas O. and Cinda Hicks Family Distinguished Chair
      (2002)
    • Wolfgang Paul Award
      Humboldt Foundation of Germany (2001)
    • Lucille P. Markey Scholar
      (1991)
    • Syntex Scholar
      (1991)