Next invited speaker:

Yuyu Song

NSI Neuro Memory MGPO, Mass General Research Institute,

Harvard Medical School

Exploring the Many Faces of Tau in Health and Neurodegeneration

Tau is a remarkably dynamic and multifunctional protein that plays essential roles in neuronal physiology while also driving the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies. Understanding how tau transitions between functional and pathogenic states remains a central challenge in the field. In this talk, I will present our recent studies investigating the structural basis of tau function and dysfunction using an integrated approach spanning biophysics, cell biology, and animal models. Our work reveals how disease-associated modifications reshape tau conformation and its interactions with microtubules, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal dysfunction. I will also discuss how these mechanistic studies are beginning to inform the development of therapeutic strategies, including conformation-selective antibodies, kinase modulation, and AI-designed protein binders, which aim to target pathogenic tau while preserving its normal physiological functions.