1994 Semmelweis Medical University (Budapest, Hungary) - MD
2000 Semmelweis University (Budapest, Hungary) - PhD
Postdoctoral Training:
2008 Post-doctoral fellowship, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (Dallas,
TX, USA)
2012 Associate Consultant, Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville, FL, USA)
Research Interests:
Alzheimer's disease and Memory Project : How does Aging effect Synaptic Neurotransmission and contribute to Alzheimer’s
Disease Title : Early signs of Alzheimer's Disease caused by dysregulation of Synaptic Neurotransmission.
There are more than 5 million patients in the USA, who suffer from Alzheimer's disease
(AD). Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease is thought to be the result of disturbed
neuronal communication due to synaptic dysfunction. Aggregated amyloid beta protein
accumulates in AD, a process leading to impaired neuronal communication. In a series
of studies we investigate why aging is the most relevant risk factor to Alzheimer’s
dementia. We test the age-related changes in a set of essential synaptic proteins,
which regulate vesicular neurotransmitter release from synapses and their effect on
beta-amyloid secretion. Maintaining physiological synaptic function while reducing
amyloid secretion may provide a breakthrough to design effective therapies that halt
progression of dementia in Alzheimer's disease.
Selected Recent Publications:
. Raghavendra Y. Nagaraja, David M. Sherry, Jennifer L. Fessler, Megan A. Stiles,
Feng Li, Karanpreet Multani, Albert Orock, Mohiuddin Ahmad, Richard S. Brush, Robert
E. Anderson, Martin-Paul Agbaga*, Ferenc Deák* Mol Neurobiol.2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1007/s12035-021-02439-1. Online ahead of print.PMID: 34227061
. Orock A, Logan S, Deak F. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci., 2020 Sep 16;75(9):1624-1632. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glz013 PMID: 30649208. Editor's Choice - featured in the main periodical of Gerontology Soc. America.
Deák F, Anderson RE, Fessler JL, Sherry DM. Front Cell Neurosci. 2019 Sep 20;13:428.
doi: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00428. eCollection 2019. Review. PMID: 31616255
Lee YI, Kim YG, Pyeon HJ, Ahn JC, Logan S, Orock A, Joo KM, Lőrincz A, Deák F. Geroscience.
2019 Apr;41(2):109-123. doi: 10.1007/s11357-019-00067-1. Epub 2019 Apr 30. PMID:
31041658
Orock A, Logan S, Deak F. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2018 Apr;88:33-42. doi: 10.1016/j.mcn.2017.12.002. Epub 2017
Dec 5. PMID: 29217410
Tucsek Z, Noa Valcarcel-Ares M, Tarantini S, Yabluchanskiy A, Fülöp G, Gautam T,
Orock A, Csiszar A, Deak F, Ungvari Z. Geroscience. 2017 Aug;39(4):385-406. doi: 10.1007/s11357-017-9981-y.
Epub 2017 Jun 29. PMID: 28664509
Memory loss: Five new things. Deak et al. Neurol Clin Pract. 2016 Dec;6(6):523-529.
doi: 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000314. Memory loss can be due to a wide variety of causes.
We provide new information about the biology of common genetic and acquired causes
of memory loss in older adults.
Deak F, Freeman WM, Ungvari Z, Csiszar A, Sonntag WE. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2016
Jan;71(1):13-20. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glv206. Epub 2015 Nov 20. Review. PMID: 26590911
Deficiency in LRP6-mediated Wnt signaling contributes to synaptic abnormalities and
amyloid pathology in Alzheimer's disease. Liu et al. Neuron. 2014 Oct 1;84(1):63-77.
doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.08.048.
Open Positions in the Deak Lab:
We support the training of graduate students, and accept applications for laboratory rotation.
We encourage interested electrophysiology experts to apply for a post-doctoral fellowship in our laboratory - Job Opening ID: 247302
We have Current open position for Research Assistant - Job Opening ID: 247305
