Welcome the Laboratory of Dr. Philip L. De Jager

The goal of Dr. De Jager’s work as a clinician-scientist is to apply modern methods of statistical genetics and computational biology to the understanding of common neurologic diseases and the development of novel tools to enhance prognostic and treatment algorithms. Dr. De Jager has focused his research activities on multiple sclerosis (MS) and also, more recently, Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. Specifically, Dr. De Jager pursues research projects in five main areas:

• Genetic dissection of clinicoradiographic features of MS – we are exploring, genome-wide, our Brigham & Women’s Hospital DNA sample collection for loci affecting clinical outcomes in MS such as age of onset, disability (EDSS/MSSS) and MRI measurements. We also collaborate on projects applying new technologies to these questions with our colleagues of the International MS Genetics Consortium which have led to the discovery of susceptibility loci within  HLA class I, CD58, IL2RA, and IL7R loci.

• Biomarker discovery in MS – we have several projects exploring the utility of RNA species and cytometric data in the diagnosis and prognosis of MS. In particular, we are developing the frequency of CD8dim cells as a component of a diagnostic algorithm.

• The effect of genetic variation on immune function – in the PhenoGenetic Project we are studying a large collection of healthy individuals to understand how alleles associated with risk of inflammatory disease exert a functional effect on the immune system.

• Genetic dissection of neuropathologic traits – weare exploring two large sample collections from the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at RUSH University for genetic loci affecting traits such as the burden of amyloid plaques and tangles in the brains of subjects who are followed longitudinally in assessments of cognitive function. 

• Genetic epidemiology of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease – in collaboration with investigators at RUSH University in Chicago, we have initiated several efforts to screen the human genome for genes affecting the rate of cognitive decline in non-demented individuals and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in individuals of European and African-American ancestry.
  

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  Philip L. De Jager, M.D. Ph.D

  Assistant Professor of Neurology Harvard Medical School Harvard University / Partners Healthcare- Center for Genetics and Genomics Medical & Population Genetics Program Broad Institute at Harvard University & M.I.T.

  Associate Neurologist Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center Center for Neurologic Disease Brigham & Women's Hospital