Zhu Lab
We investigate how microglia maintain white matter integrity in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
We investigate how microglia maintain white matter integrity in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
The complex cognitive functions of the human brain rely not only on the survival of neurons but also on the precise, synchronized transmission of information across the vast white matter networks that connect them. While Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is traditionally defined by plaques and tangles, white matter degeneration has been recently recognized as an early and robust predictor of cognitive decline that often precedes gray matter atrophy. My lab will investigate a critical but understudied aspect of this pathology: How do microglia maintain white matter integrity under the metabolic stress of neurodegeneration?
Principal Investigator
My career in neuroscience began at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where I completed my Ph.D. in Dr. Karl Herrup's lab in 2019. During my subsequent postdoctoral training in Dr. Xianhua Piao's lab at UCSF, I became fascinated by neuroimmunology, specifically how microglial responses and diverse cellular states drive Alzheimer's disease pathology. I joined Saint Louis University as an Assistant Professor in January 2026 to establish a research program focused on the microglial regulation of myelin integrity in Alzheimer's disease. When I'm not in the lab, you can usually find me exploring local art museums or cooking, with a special love for crafting Cantonese soups.
For a full list of publications, please visit here.
We are a new, highly collaborative research group at Saint Louis University. We are currently recruiting motivated graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who are passionate about neuroimmunology, white matter integrity, and decoding Alzheimer's disease pathology.
If you are interested in exploring how diverse microglial states drive neurodegeneration, we would love to hear from you! Please reach out to Dr. Zhu at beika.zhu@health.slu.edu with a brief statement of your research interests and your CV.
The Zhu Lab's research is generously supported by: