Learning the Regulatory Code of Alzheimer's Genomes, Towfique Raj, Icahn School of Medicine

Most genetic changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease do not alter proteins directly, but instead affect how genes are turned on and off. In this talk, I will explain how we decode these hidden regulatory signals by combining human genetics with studies of microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells that help protect and maintain brain health. I will describe how we use eQTL analyses, which link DNA differences to changes in gene activity, to understand how risk variants influence how genes work inside these cells. I will also show how deep learning models can predict how small DNA sequence changes affect gene function and disease risk. Attendees will gain a clear framework for how genetic risk shapes brain immune cell behavior and contributes to Alzheimer’s disease, and how these insights can guide new therapeutic targets.