Neuroscience & Behavioural Disorders Signature Research Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School; Honorary Professor,Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.
Professor Vincenzo De Paola’s research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of synaptic and axonal breakdown that drive cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases, and on identifying strategies to promote neural repair. His foundational work includes some of the first-ever dynamic observations of synapse formation, elimination, and regeneration in the living brain. This mechanism-focused approach has produced fundamental discoveries, with key findings published in Science and Nature Medicine and the recent development of a patented therapeutic strategy for Down syndrome. Professor De Paola’s work aims to translate these insights into effective treatments for both Down syndrome and the broader spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders.