Renzo Marcuso won the award for his findings on microglia and neuroinflammation, which play a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. A young Italian-Argentine biologist, Renzo Marcuso works with Pr. Bart de Strooper at the VIB UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology in the Netherlands. His primary focus has been on examining the underlying molecular mechanisms that drive Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), with a special emphasis on inflammatory networks and particularly the contribution of microglia. He uses mouse models, iPSC and cutting-edge humanized mouse systems to determine the immune component of these disorders and determine how genetics alter microglial function and contribute to the initiation and perpetuation of brain disease. 

The jury, composed of renowned European researchers, was chaired by Pr. Jean-François Dartigues of the Bordeaux Population Health Research Center. Commenting on the award, André Levy-Lang, Chairman of the SCOR Foundation for Science, said: “Advances in Alzheimer’s disease research, which the SCOR Foundation has supported for many years, play a key role in managing the risks faced by older age groups. Professor Renzo Mancuso’s research is helping more specifically to expand our understanding of genetic brain dysfunctions.”