Johns Hopkins University · BiologyNeuroinflammation and Therapeutics Lab
Hanseok Ko · Baltimore, Maryland
Research Focus
Dr. Hanseok Ko's research lab focuses on understanding how a specific protein signaling pathway in brain immune cells, called microglia, contributes to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The lab aims to identify the molecular mechanisms involved in this process and explore potential new therapies for Alzheimer's by targeting these pathways. Through a combination of biochemical and genetic experiments, the lab seeks to uncover ways to mitigate the harmful effects associated with Alzheimer's disease and improve brain health.
neuroinflammationAlzheimer's diseasemicrogliaNOD2RIPK2dementiaamyloid betatherapeuticsmolecular signalinggenetic modification
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the mechanisms driving microglial activation by amyloid beta and the role of NOD2/RIPK2 signaling.
AIM 02Evaluate the impact of removing microglial NOD2/RIPK2 on neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's models.
AIM 03Assess the therapeutic potential of RIPK2 inhibitors in reducing Alzheimer's-related pathology.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturemolecular analysismouse modelsproteome analysisbiophysical assaysin vivo imagingWestern blotbehavioral testingRNA sequencing
Output against the department
Publications97bottom 34% of dept.683rd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations15ktop 25% of dept.258th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.