Dr. Wenzhen Duan

Biography

Wenzhen Duan, MD, PhD, is a Professor in the Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. His research focuses on the neurobiology of neurodegenerative disorders, with a commitment to advancing therapeutic strategies and biomarker development. Dr. Duan leads the Translational Neurobiology Laboratory, where the team combines basic science with real-world applications, particularly in Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. They aim to bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical care, improving outcomes for patients through innovative therapeutic approaches. The laboratory's recent studies have emphasized the role of the neurovascular unit in maintaining brain health and in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, identifying mechanisms that regulate brain barrier integrity and implicating specific cell types and pathways in these processes. Dr. Duan collaborates widely with experts in various fields, employing advanced molecular biology, genetics, neuroimaging, and computational methodologies to unravel complex mechanisms underlying neurological disorders and to develop evidence-based interventions.

Research Interests