Rudolph E. Tanzi

Rudolph E. Tanzi

Rudolph Emile 'Rudy' Tanzi (born September 18, 1958) a professor of Neurology at Harvard University, vice-chair of neurology, director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit, and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).[1]

Tanzi has been investigating the genetics of neurological disease since the 1980s.[2] He co-discovered all three familial early-onset Alzheimer's disease (FAD) genes and several other neurological disease genes including that responsible for Wilson’s disease.[3] His team was the first to use human stem cells to create three-dimensional cell culture organoids of AD, dubbed “Alzheimer's-in-a-Dish”.[4][5] The 3-D model made drug screening for AD faster and more cost-effective.

He has published over 600 research papers and has received the highest awards[6] in his field, including the Potamkin Prize. Tanzi on occasion serves as a studio keyboard player for Aerosmith and other musicians.[7]

  1. ^ Fletcher, Bevin (26 Jun 2015). "Alzheimer's Expert Jams with Aerosmith". Drug Discovery & Development. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015.
  2. ^ Gusella, James F.; Wexler, Nancy S.; Conneally, P. Michael; Naylor, Susan L.; Anderson, Mary Anne; Tanzi, Rudolph E.; Watkins, Paul C.; Ottina, Kathleen; Wallace, Margaret R.; Sakaguchi, Alan Y.; Young, Anne B.; Shoulson, Ira; Bonilla, Ernesto; Martin, Joseph B.; et al. (Gusella, J., Wexler, N., Conneally, P., et al) (1983). "A polymorphic DNA marker genetically linked to Huntington's disease". Nature. 306 (5940): 234–238. Bibcode:1983Natur.306..234G. doi:10.1038/306234a0. PMID 6316146. S2CID 4320711. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  3. ^ Tanzi, R. E.; Petrukhin, K.; Chernov, I.; Pellequer, J. L.; Wasco, W.; Ross, B.; Romano, D. M.; Parano, E.; Pavone, L.; Brzustowicz, L. M. (December 1993). "The Wilson disease gene is a copper transporting ATPase with homology to the Menkes disease gene". Nature Genetics. 5 (4): 344–350. doi:10.1038/ng1293-344. ISSN 1061-4036. PMID 8298641. S2CID 610188.
  4. ^ Choi SH, Kim YH, Hebisch M, Sliwinski C, Lee S, D'Avanzo C, Chen H, Hooli B, Asselin C, Muffat J, Klee JB, Zhang C, Wainger BJ, Peitz M, Kovacs DM, Woolf CJ, Wagner SL, Tanzi RE, Kim DY (November 13, 2014). "A three-dimensional human neural cell culture model of Alzheimer's disease". Nature. 515 (7526): 274–8. Bibcode:2014Natur.515..274C. doi:10.1038/nature13800. PMC 4366007. PMID 25307057.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Torgan, Carol (November 3, 2014). "Human Cells Model Alzheimer's Disease". NIH Research Matters. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D. | Mass General Research Institute". Find a Researcher - Massachusetts General Hospital. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  7. ^ Christensen, Jen (2013-06-07). "Gene hunter by day, Aerosmith organist by night". CNN. Retrieved 2023-02-14.