My name is Shenzhao Lu. I investigate the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying neurological diseases. I earned my Ph.D. in Neurobiology from the Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences. During my doctoral studies, I focused on the role of glia in neurodegeneration, identifying αB-crystallin as an inhibitor of glial autophagy in Parkinson’s disease and uncovering a novel signaling pathway involving 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase (PTS) and astrocytic dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2), which contributes to neuroinflammation in Multiple Sclerosis. My current research focuses on identifying novel neurodevelopmental disease-associated genes, particularly those involved in actin cytoskeleton regulation in developmental epilepsy. My long-term goal is to advance our understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways underlying neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration.