Josue Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Biography
Dr. Josue Gonzalez has his Ph.D. in biology of human genetics and neuroimmunology from Brigham Young University and a B.S. in genetics and bioinformatics and molecular biology from Brigham Young University. His graduate work focused on understanding the genetic and neuroimmune background in the human brain. His work ranges from genetic analysis to identifying potential markers altering the risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease using a bioinformatics and molecular cell biology approach. In 2020, he joined the lab of Dr. Rita Guerreiro as a postdoctoral fellow to continue his research.
Society Memberships
International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Current research focus
Dr. Josue Gonzalez’s research focuses on understanding the genetic architeture of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) using computational genetic and molecular biology approaches. Performing computational genetic analyses aid in the search for genetic variants that might be driving the disease. Then, a further biological characterization is performed using molecular and cell models. These molecular and cell modles provide functional information toward development of possible therapeutics to decrease the rate of development in HSP and PD.
Education & Training
Ph.D. in biology of human genetics and neuroimmunology, Brigham Young University
Thesis: Diagnosis and the role of chemokine receptors in Alzheimer’s disease
B.S. in genetics and bioinformatics and molecular biology, Brigham Young University:
Agricultural science emphasis in plant genetics, Escuela Nacional de Agricultura, La Libertad, El Salvador
Awards & External Funding
Awards and Distictions
2019 Autumn Immunology Conference Travel Award
2017 BYU Graduate Studies travel award
2016 Brigham Young University Full Tuition fellowship scholarship
2015 BYU Undergraduate Mentor Research Award
2014 BYU Undergraduate Mentor Research Award
2013 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference Presenter Research Award
2013 BYU Integrative Life Science College Travel Grant
2012 Brigham Young University Full Tuition Academic Scholarship
Research Grants
2020 BYU Gerontology research program
2019 BYU James Bobbitt Alzheimer’s Grant
2018 BYU James Bobbitt Alzheimer’s Grant
2017 BYU Gerontology research program
2017 BYU James Bobbitt Alzheimer’s Grant
Publications
To view a list of selected publications click below.
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Gonzalez Murcia JD, Weinert A, Tellez Freitas CM, Arens DK, Ferrel MN, Grose JH, Ridge PG, Wilson E, Kauwe JSK, Weber KS. 2020. Atypical Chemokine Receptor ACKR2-V41A has decreased CCL2 binding, scavenging, and activation, supporting sustained inflammation and increased Alzheimer’s disease risk. 10(1):8019.
Vance E, Gonzalez Murcia JD, Miller JB, Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC), Lyndsey Staley, Crane PK, Mukherjee S, Kauwe JSK. 2020. Failure to detect synergy between variants in transferrin and hemochromatosis and Alzheimer’s disease in large cohort. Neurobiol Aging 89:142.e9–142.e12.
Patel D, Mez J, Vardarajan BN, Staley L, Chung J, Zhang X, Farrell JJ, Rynkiewicz MJ, Cannon-Albright LA, Teerlink CC, Stevens J, Corcoran C, Gonzalez Murcia JD, Lopez OL, Mayeux R, Haines JL, Pericak-Vance MA, Schellenberg G, Kauwe J, Lunetta KL. 2019. Association of rare coding mutations with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias among adults of European ancestry JAMA Netw Open 2(3):e191350.
Ridge PG, Karch CM, Hsu S, Gonzalez Murcia JD…Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. 2017. Linkage, whole genome sequence, and biological data implicate variants in RAB10 in Alzheimer’s disease resilience. Genome Med 9:100.
Wang LS, Naj AC, Graham RR, Crane PK, Kunkle BW, Cruchaga C, Gonzalez Murcia JD, Cannon-Albright L, Baldwin CT, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Kukull WA, Faber KM, Schupf N, Norton MC, Tschanz JT, Munger RG, Corcoran CD, Rogaeva E, Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium, … Yu L. 2015. Rarity of the Alzheimer disease-protective APP A673T variant in the United States. JAMA Neurol, 72(2):209–216.
Gonzalez Murcia JD, Schmutz C, Munger C, Perkes A, Gustin A, Peterson M, Ebbert MT, Norton MC, Tschanz JT, Munger RG, Corcoran CD, Kauwe JS. 2013. Assessment of TREM2 rs75932628 association with Alzheimer’s disease in a population-based sample: the Cache County Study. Neurobiol Aging 34(12), 2889.e11–2889.e13.
Oral/Poster Presentations
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| 2017 | Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. London, England. Characterization of Mutant Chemokine receptor and their Role in Inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease. (poster) |
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American Society of Human Genetics. Orlando, FL. Cell-Free single stranded DNA concentration in Alzheimer’s disease patients. (poster) |
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2018 |
Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Chicago, IL. Cell-Free single stranded DNA concentration in Alzheimer’s disease patients – Replication. (poster) |
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Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Chicago, IL. Association of rs3846662 as a Genetic Modifier for Alzheimer’s disease: The Cache County Study (poster) |
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Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Chicago, IL. Association of CCRL2-V180M (rs6441977) with Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, and serum cytokine levels and its role with Inflammation. (poster) |
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Autumn Immunology Conference. Chicago, IL. Genetic Association and Characterization of CCRL2-V180M with Alzheimer’s disease and Inflammation (oral and poster) |
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Autumn Immunology Conference. Chicago, IL. Chemokine receptor CCBP2-V41A and its role in inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease. (oral and poster) |
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2019 |
Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Los Angeles, CA. Cell-Free single stranded DNA concentration in Alzheimer’s disease patients – Replication. (poster) |
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Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Los Angeles, CA. Association of CCRL2-V180M (rs6441977) with Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, and serum cytokine levels and its role with Inflammation. (poster) |
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Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Los Angeles, CA., Atypical chemokine receptor CCBP2-V41A has decreased CCL2 binding, scavenging, and activation, supporting sustained inflammation and increased Alzheimer’s disease risk (oral) |
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Autumn Immunology Conference. Chicago, IL. Genetic Association and Characterization of CCRL2-V180M with Alzheimer’s disease and Inflammation (oral and poster) |