Open webinar: The double-edged role of extracellular vesicles in Alzheimer's disease

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), lipid bilayer-enclosed particles secreted by most cell types, are gaining increasing attention for their dualistic roles in neurodegenerative disorders. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), EVs function as both messengers of toxicity and protectors of neuronal integrity, making them critical yet complex components in disease progression and potential therapy.

Creative Biolabs is honored to invite Dr. Francesc Guix to speak on the double-edged role of extracellular vesicles in Alzheimer's disease.

Key Points

EV Characteristics: How nano-sized, cell-released vesicles transport nucleic acids, proteins, etc. and facilitate cell-to-cell communication.

The Role of EVs in Brain Physiology: EVs support communication between neurons and glia, contributing to brain homeostasis.

The Dual Role of EVs in AD: EVs help clear toxic proteins but may also spread misfolded proteins (e.g., tau, Aβ) and enhance neuroinflammation.

Therapeutic Potential: Primarily discussing the application of targeted EVs for AD treatment, enhanced beneficial effects, and application as diagnostic biomarkers.

About the Speaker

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, IQS–Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona

* Research Focus on Alzheimer's Disease Pathology

Dr. Guix earned his degree in Human Biology from Universitat Pompeu Fabra and completed his Ph.D. under Prof. Francisco José Muñoz, investigating how peroxynitrite contributes to neurofibrillary tangle formation. His findings were published in Brain, and an earlier review article of his has been widely cited.

* Postdoctoral Training under Established Neuroscientists

He conducted postdoctoral research with notable scientists including Kai Simons, Bart De Strooper, Dominic Walsh, and Dennis Selkoe. During this time, he contributed to studies on membrane microdomains, γ-secretase biology, and protein homeostasis, publishing in journals such as EMBO Molecular Medicine. He is also a co-inventor on a patent related to tetraspanin-regulated protease activity.

* Research on Aging Neurons and Extracellular Vesicle Release

As a Marie Curie Fellow at the Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa,” Dr. Guix led work examining how aging neurons lose protein homeostasis and alter extracellular vesicle secretion, which forms the basis for his current research interests.