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Profile – Dr Merci Ngozi Best, University of Michigan

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29/07/2024

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Dr Merci Best

Name:

Dr Merci Ngozi Best

Job Title:

Research Fellow

Place of work / study:

University of Michigan, Department of Neurology

Area of Research:

I study neuronal structure and function in Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and progressive supranuclear palsy

How is your research funded:

Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity & NIH R25

Tell us a little about yourself:

I am a second-year postdoctoral research fellow in Neurology, seeking an independent faculty position at an institution with, or interested in establishing an NIH-funded Alzheimer’s disease research center. Currently, I explore the molecular mechanisms of tau-mediated neurodegeneration with a focus on tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

My research aims to elucidate the relationships among genetic mutations, neuronal structure/function — particularly the axon initial segment — and tau-mediated neurodegeneration in these conditions.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:

I am an entrepreneur. My family run business sells activity kits to enhance educational experiences of kids ages 5-12 years old. My hope is that early positive experiences in science related careers will increase the interest and intention for kids to become scientists.

Why did you choose to work in dementia research?

For professional and personal reasons. At 13, I studied a rare neurodegenerative disease using the fruit fly eye as a model for the human brain. At that same time my maternal grandmother, Dorothy Joyce Sutton began to show the first signs of dementia.