Rate My Professor Lasagna Reeves

Cristian Lasagna-Reeves, PhD, served as an associate professor of anatomy, cell biology, and physiology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He was a principal investigator and director of neurodegenerative disorders research at the Stark Neurosciences Research Institute. Born in Chile, he earned a B.S. in Engineering in Biotechnology and an M.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Chile. He received his Ph.D. in Cellular Biology from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston under the mentorship of Dr. Rakez Kayed, followed by postdoctoral training at Baylor College of Medicine in the laboratory of Dr. Huda Zoghbi. In 2017, he established his independent laboratory at the Indiana University School of Medicine, focusing on neurodegenerative diseases.

Lasagna-Reeves' research centers on the role of tau protein in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including tau oligomer formation, propagation, and synaptic toxicity. His lab identified Bassoon as a key mediator of tau-seed propagation and neurotoxicity, suggesting therapeutic strategies via its downregulation. Notable publications include “Tau oligomers impair memory and induce synaptic and mitochondrial dysfunction in wild-type mice” (Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2011), “Alzheimer brain-derived tau oligomers propagate pathology from endogenous tau” (Scientific Reports, 2012), “Identification of oligomers at early stages of tau aggregation in Alzheimer’s disease” (FASEB Journal, 2012), “Molecular mechanisms of amyloid oligomers toxicity” (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012), and “Bassoon contributes to tau-seed propagation and neurotoxicity” (Nature Neuroscience, 2022). His work earned the 2024 Rainwater Prize for Innovative Early-Career Scientist ($200,000 award), the 2023 Inge Grundke-Iqbal Award for Alzheimer’s Research, and recognition for the most impactful Alzheimer’s study (2022). These contributions have advanced insights into tau pathology mechanisms and potential interventions.