Zimmer Lab

A year marked by valuable collaborations, collective growth, and scientific progress.

We are truly grateful to everyone who made this possible.

Looking ahead to an even more innovative and impactful 2026.

The 2025 Team 💜

Microglia modulate Aβ-dependent astrocyte reactivity in Alzheimer’s disease - Nature Neuroscience Microglia influence amyloid-β effects on astrocyte reactivity in the living brain of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. This phenomenon further contributes to cognitive impairment via tau phosphory...

Just published in Nat. Neurosci.

Led by J.P. Ferrari-Souza, this study used imaging & fluid biomarkers to reveal that microglia modulate Aβ-related astrocyte reactivity, which in turn contributes to AD progression.

@erzimmer.bsky.social
@natureportfolio.nature.com

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

📣 Last call!

@istaart.bsky.social members — submit your abstract for AAIC Neuroscience Next, the hybrid event happening in 6 cities worldwide 🌍🧠

📅 Deadline: this Sunday!

Don’t miss your chance to share your research globally.

🔗 tinyurl.com/mpe85jfd

@erzimmer.bsky.social @ozyismail.bsky.social

✈️ Toronto, here we go! The ZLAB team is heading to #AAIC2025, the world’s largest conference on AD and dementia. 5 days of science, learning and a chance to showcase research made in Brazil🧠

Check out all our presentations here: tinyurl.com/533zfkhs

@alzassociation.bsky.social

Congrats to PhD student @limberger-chris.bsky.social on his Lightning Presentation at #AAICSatellite in Lima!

🧠His talk: "Brain Hypometabolism and Cognitive Impairment Are Exacerbated by a Common IDO1 Genetic Variant" was excellent! 👏 @alzassociation.bsky.social

Dr. @erzimmer.bsky.social in action at the #AAICSatellite in Peru, presenting the landscape of 🩸biomarkers in Brazil. His talk highlighted key advances and outlined promising perspectives to boost Brazil’s response to dementia — from research to public health @alzassociation.bsky.social

Aluna da UFRGS é reconhecida como mais promissora pesquisadora do mundo. Giovanna Carello Collar recebeu o prêmio "One to Watch", na Conferência Internacional da Associação de Alzheimer.
tinyurl.com/47b8seks

If you're in Miami for #AAICAdvancements, don’t miss the poster session featuring our undergrad student #MariaLuizaDahlem! 🧠✨ Monday morning—see you there! @alzassociation.bsky.social

Yesterday, we had the honor of hosting Dr. @mateferretti.bsky.social for a special lab meeting in a packed auditorium. Her visit to Porto Alegre brought invaluable insights and inspiring discussions.

We are grateful for her time, expertise, and passion.

Thank you for inspiring us all!

🎉 Congratulations to our PhD student @giovannacollar.bsky.social for receiving the AAIC Neuroscience Next ‘One to Watch’ Award at #AAICNeuro 🇺🇸!

A well-deserved recognition by the @alzassociation.bsky.social for her contributions to neuroscience research. 👏✨

Starting tomorrow, our team joins hubs around the world!
Stay tuned for more updates. #AAICNeuro

We wrap up another incredible edition of #AAICNeuro in Porto Alegre! 🎉 A huge thank you to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the organizers for an outstanding event, especially the #Neurocoglab and #InsCer.
See you next time! 👏
@alzassociation💜

Dr. @nvillain-alz.bsky.social (@sorbonne-universite.fr), plenary speaker at the #AAICNeuro POA hub, delivered a fantastic talk titled "The Great Debate in Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease: More Than Just a β Test." Thank you for sharing your insights with us, Dr. Villain! 👏@alzassociation.bsky.social

@giovannacollar.bsky.social, ISTAART cohort (’23-’24), shares an emotional account of how @istaart.bsky.social has shaped her career and the incredible benefits of being a member. Don't miss out—join today! ❤️🚀 #AAICNeuro @alzassociation.bsky.social

Lightning presentation round with amazing talks from our students #JPFerrari-Souza, #JoanaSenger, #LucasBeltrani, and #LauraRosso! ⚡👏 #AAICNeuro @alzassociation.bsky.social

Our team was well represented at the poster session! 👏 Congrats on the great work, Marco and Guilherme! 🎉 #AAICNeuro @alzassociation.bsky.social

#FrancieliRohden presented her postdoctoral work, developed in the Zimmer Lab/Pascoal Lab partnership, titled 'From aging to Alzheimer’s: the role of glial reactivity in synaptic dysfunction' 🔬🧠 Amazing presentation, Fran! 👏 #AAICNeuro @alzassociation.bsky.social

#AndreiBieger, MD-PhD candidate, presented on the influence of different diagnostic criteria on Alzheimer's disease clinical research. Congrats, Andrei!🧠🔬 #AAICNeuro
@alzassociation.bsky.social

Kickoff of #AAICNeuro in Porto Alegre! 🌎 This week, 12 hubs worldwide will showcase the next generation of Alzheimer’s & dementia researchers and clinicians.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the day!

@alzassociation.bsky.social @erzimmer.bsky.social #CristianoAguzzoli

#AAICNeuro starts next week! In 2025, 12 hubs will offer lectures, poster presentations, networking sessions, and workshops. @alzassociation.bsky.social

Click the link to see our participation at 5 of these hubs!
tinyurl.com/3th28xfd

A man was destined for early Alzheimer’s — these genes might explain his escape Scientists identify nine genetic variants that could have helped a man to avoid dementia for at least two decades longer than expected.

Despite carrying a genetic mutation associated with early-onset #Alzheimer’s, a man remained free of dementia symptoms for at least 2 decades longer than expected 👉 genetic variants may explain this remarkable resilience. See more here: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The words "Hello, Bluesky!" with the Bluesky butterfly logo below. They are white against a purple background.

Hello, #Bluesky! With so many voices making their way to this new community, we are excited to enter the conversation.

#ENDALZ

We also thank the funding agencies: #Alzheimer'sAssociation, @cnpq.bsky.social, #CAPES, @serrapilheira.org, @ufrgs.br, and #Fapergs.

We thank the co-authors: #MarcoDeBastiani, #JadersonCostaDaCosta, #TharickAPascoal, #PedroRosaNeto, #LucasPSchilling, @santamaria-garcia.bsky.social, #AgustinMIbanez, @claudiasuemoto.bsky.social,
and @erzimmer.bsky.social. 🧵7

💪 This work was a team effort from Brazil: @ufrgs.br, #PPGBioq, #PPGFarmaco, and #InsCer. 🧵6

📣 Our findings point out the significance of individually understanding the risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia in each specific region, rather than adopting a generalist, broad, one-size-fits-all approach. 🧵5

We could also see an impact of Brazilian geographical regions in the model for predicting risk factors for cognitive and functional decline. We evidenced worst cognitive scores in North and Northeast, while only Northeast presented worst functional scores. 🧵4

📊 Education emerged as the most impactful risk factor for cognitive decline in Brazil, while Mental Health was the most impactful for functional deterioration. 🧵3

🧩 Social and health determinants were more significant than classical demographics risk factors in all Latin American Countries, with important differences among them. 🧵2