Dr. Jean-Pierre Roussarie (He/Him/His)
Assistant Professor, School of Medicine
- Sexual Orientation: gay
- Race, Ethnicity, and/or Nationality: white, French
- Languages: French
- Hometown: Paris and New York
- Religion: Atheist
I am a gay molecular neurobiologist working on Alzheimer’s disease. I received my PhD in neurovirology from the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France, and then moved to Rockefeller University in New York for postdoctoral training on Alzheimer’s disease. I stayed there for almost 15 years! I moved to Boston in 2021 to start my laboratory in the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology. My lab is trying to identify the molecular components of the pathological cascade leading to degeneration in neurons. A very specific type of neurons, crucial for new memory formation, is particularly vulnerable to the disease. By investigating these neurons and comparing them to more resistant neurons, we hope to bring insight into the necessary steps towards cell death. Eventually, we hope to uncover new therapeutic targets for drugs that would block degeneration, using mouse models, human tissue, and in vitro models to tackle this problem. I hope to contribute to making BU a more diverse and inclusive place, starting with my lab/department, and providing support to LGBTQ+ students who need it.
Contact Dr. Roussarie for research support, career support, coming out, mentoring, and general networking.