Konrad Talbot | Alzheimer’s Disease | Best Researcher Award

Assos. Prof. Dr. Konrad Talbot | Alzheimer’s Disease | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Konrad Talbot is a distinguished neuroscientist and Associate Professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, serving in the Departments of Neurosurgery, Pathology & Human Anatomy, and Basic Sciences since 2018. He specializes in investigating the pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, particularly focusing on brain insulin resistance in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. With a Ph.D. in Physiological Psychology from UCLA and extensive postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Talbot has held faculty and research positions at leading institutions such as Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, and UPenn. He is a highly cited researcher (H-index: 34, 9341 citations), with significant NIH and international grant support. He also serves as an editorial board member, reviewer, and invited speaker at global conferences. His work has influenced both fundamental neuroscience and the development of therapeutic strategies for brain diseases.

Profile

🎓 Education

Dr. Konrad Talbot completed his undergraduate (B.A.), master’s (M.A.), and doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Psychology with a specialization in Physiological Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His academic path reflects a deep commitment to understanding the biological underpinnings of behavior and brain function. He also received formal teaching certification from UCLA’s Instructor Development Program in 1992. His postdoctoral training included pivotal roles at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (1997–2001), where he developed expertise in brain autopsy and pathology. He furthered his technical capabilities through advanced training in quantitative fluorescence microscopy at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in 2007. His broad educational background forms a strong foundation for his interdisciplinary research and teaching roles across psychology, neurobiology, pathology, and medical sciences.

🧪 Experience

Dr. Talbot’s academic journey spans over three decades, beginning as an Assistant Professor at Mount St. Mary’s College and St. Olaf College, where he taught psychology and mentored numerous students. He transitioned into intensive research roles at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) from 1997 to 2012, ascending from postdoctoral investigator to senior research investigator and research faculty. He later held associate research professorships at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA. Since 2018, he has served as Associate Professor at Loma Linda University. Dr. Talbot has authored influential studies on brain insulin resistance, taught neuroanatomy to medical residents, supervised postdoctoral and undergraduate research projects, and served in various academic leadership and committee roles. In addition to his research and teaching, he has contributed editorial expertise to high-impact journals and consulted on landmark neuroanatomical atlases. His career reflects a blend of teaching excellence, pioneering research, and interdisciplinary leadership.

🏅 Awards and Honors

Dr. Talbot’s contributions have been widely recognized through prestigious awards and honors. In 2003, he received the T.L.L. Temple Foundation Discovery Award from the Alzheimer’s Association for his groundbreaking work on brain insulin resistance. He was honored as a co-dedicatee of the influential neuroscience text The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates (2008 edition), highlighting his impact on anatomical brain mapping. In 2020, he was inducted into the Sigma Chi Scientific Research Honor Society. His professional affiliations include long-standing memberships with the Society for Neuroscience, Alzheimer Research Forum, Schizophrenia Research Forum, and ISTAART (International Society to Advance Alzheimer Research and Treatment). He has played leadership roles in organizing major scientific conferences, chaired institutional committees, and served on advisory panels. His editorial contributions and invited lectures worldwide further underscore the scientific community’s high regard for his research excellence and thought leadership.

🔬 Research Focus

Dr. Talbot’s research centers on identifying and targeting mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, with a special emphasis on insulin resistance in the brain. He has pioneered investigations showing that brain insulin resistance plays a critical role in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis. His NIH-funded work explores the therapeutic potential of incretin receptor agonists—an emerging class of antidiabetics—in reducing brain insulin resistance and improving cognitive function. His collaborative projects with institutions like CUNY, UCLA, and the University of Washington focus on both human brain tissue analysis and preclinical models. Past research includes the molecular biology of schizophrenia, especially dysbindin-related pathways. He holds a U.S. patent application on methods for treating brain insulin resistance, signaling the translational potential of his findings. Dr. Talbot’s research integrates neuropharmacology, pathology, neuroanatomy, and clinical neuroscience, aiming to develop disease-modifying treatments that can halt or reverse progression in cognitive and psychiatric disorders.

Conclusion

Dr. Konrad Talbot is an accomplished neuroscientist whose multidisciplinary work in brain insulin resistance has significantly advanced understanding and treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, blending rigorous research, impactful teaching, and translational innovation.

Publications

Carmela Conte | Neurodegenerative diseases | Best Researcher Award

Prof Dr. Carmela Conte | Neurodegenerative diseases | Best Researcher Award

 

Profile

Education

Carmela Conte obtained her Master’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Perugia on November 3, 1994. She then pursued a Ph.D. in Medical Embryology through a joint program between the Universities of Perugia and Ferrara, completing it between December 30, 1996, and January 19, 2000. Following this, she specialized in Chemistry and Food Technology at the University of Perugia, earning her specialization between November 1, 2000, and November 1, 2002. Most recently, on September 29, 2023, she received National Habilitation as an Associate Professor in Biochemistry. She currently serves as an Aggregate Professor in her field.

Work experience

Since September 7, 2007, Carmela Conte has been serving as an Aggregate Professor in Biochemistry at the University of Perugia, where she teaches courses in General and Systematic Biochemistry, Medical Applied Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she participated in a Teaching and Training Mobility Program at VUMC Medical University of Amsterdam from June 24 to July 5, 2019, where she worked on a research project investigating the role of Toll-like receptors in Parkinson’s disease. She has been a member of the European Society for Neurochemistry since 2007 and, since March 17, 2022, has also been affiliated with the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Research Activity

Carmela Conte’s research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, with particular emphasis on animal models, signal transduction, molecular biology, and cell biology. Her specific research topics include the role of Toll-like receptors in Parkinson’s disease, neuroinflammation, synucleinopathies, oxidative stress, and Parkinson’s disease. Since September 7, 2007, she has been actively involved in editorial work, serving as a Reviewer Editor for Frontiers in Neuroscience (Neurodegeneration section) and as an ad hoc reviewer for several journals, including Amino Acids, The Cerebellum, Free Radical Research, Biomolecules, PLOS One, Experimental Gerontology, Molecules, Cells, Neurochemical Research, Neuroscience, Pharmacological Reports, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Viruses, and the Journal of Biotechnology. Additionally, she has been a Guest Editor for Molecules and Cells, overseeing special issues and topic collections on neurodegenerative diseases. She has presented her research at numerous scientific meetings and conferences, including the 2009 Meeting of the European Society for Neurochemistry in Leipzig, the 2019 European Biotechnology Congress in Valencia, the 2021 European Biotechnology Congress in Sofia, the 2022 National Meeting of the Sphingolipid Club, and the 2023 Meeting of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, where she discussed findings related to Toll-like receptor 4, alpha-synuclein accumulation, and sphingomyelinase activity in Parkinson’s disease models.

Publication