Dr. Ikezu is professor of departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine. He obtained MD and PhD from University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Japan, had research training and faculty positions at University of California San Francisco, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and University of Nebraska Medical Center. His research focuses on neuroinflammation and how the innate immune-related molecules in the central nervous system (CNS) influences the pathology and progression of select neurodegenerative disorders e.g. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.  Further, the lab investigates pharmacological means to regulate the specific neuroinflammation with the goal of suppressing the dissemination of aggregated proteins, enhancing neuronal protection and regeneration in the CNS.  He has over 58 peer-reviewed research publications and also edited a textbook (Neuroimmune Pharmacology, Springer 2008) as a senior editor, which is internationally used for graduate education of neuroimmunology and neuropharmacology.