Our science
Research
The Miller Lab develops human-relevant experimental models to uncover disease mechanisms and accelerate therapeutic discovery for neurological and neurodegenerative disorders.
By combining patient-derived biology with mechanistic experimentation and therapeutic perturbation, we aim to bridge the gap between human disease discovery and preclinical drug development — identifying actionable pathways, validating therapeutic targets in human systems, and developing interventions with a clear path toward clinical translation.
Research areas
Neurodegeneration & Protein Aggregation
We investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving neurodegeneration, with a focus on amyloid-β and α-synuclein pathology. Using human iPSC-derived neural organoids, primary human tissue, and proteomics, we identify how disease-associated protein aggregates disrupt neural function and explore therapeutic strategies to halt or reverse these processes.
Infection-Triggered Neuropathology
A major focus of the lab is understanding how viral and immune-mediated insults trigger neurodegenerative cascades. Our work on SARS-CoV-2 and Long COVID has demonstrated that viral infection can induce Alzheimer's disease-related amyloid-β pathology in human retinal tissue and organoids, opening new avenues for biomarker discovery and therapeutic intervention.
Retinal Biomarkers & Ocular Disease
The retina offers a uniquely accessible window into CNS pathology. We use human retinal explants and organoids to model neurodegenerative and infection-triggered disease, identify retinal biomarkers of systemic neurological conditions, and characterize the cellular circuits underlying visual processing and their vulnerability to disease.
PANDAS & Neuroimmune Disorders
We are defining the neuropathological mechanisms underlying PANDAS using primary human brain tissue and cortical organoids. This work aims to identify the cellular and molecular substrates of autoimmune-driven neuropsychiatric disease and evaluate candidate therapeutic targets.
Grants & sponsored research
Fellow-to-Faculty Award
Simons Foundation
Infection-Triggered Neurodegenerative Proteinopathy in Long COVID: Retinal Biomarkers and Human Organoid Models for Mechanistic Discovery and Therapeutic Development
PolyBio Research Foundation
Defining Neuropathological Mechanisms in PANDAS Using Human Brain Tissue and Cortical Organoids
The Alex Manfull Fund
Patents
Methods of treating or preventing conditions of dendritic and neural spine defects
Our approach
The Miller Lab is committed to human-relevant, mechanistic neuroscience. We integrate iPSC-derived neural and retinal organoids, primary human tissues, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, advanced microscopy, and functional electrophysiology to define how disease-associated molecular and cellular changes translate into neural dysfunction.
We place a strong emphasis on therapeutic translation: every mechanistic finding is evaluated for its potential as a drug target or biomarker, with the goal of developing interventions that have a clear path toward clinical application.