Ruslan Rust
@rrust.bsky.social
Asst Prof at @keckmedicineusc.bsky.social with interest in the #brain, #BBB, #stemcells and what can go wrong following #stroke & #AD. 🧠 🔬 Alumni of @ethzurich.bsky.social
New in @natureportfolio.nature.com on microglial regulation in Alzheimer’s disease. The study shows that microglia with low PU.1 expression and surface CD28 reduce amyloid pathology and inflammation. It highlights immune co-stimulatory pathways as potential targets in AD. Very interesting!
November 7, 2025 at 10:13 PM
New in @natureportfolio.nature.com on microglial regulation in Alzheimer’s disease. The study shows that microglia with low PU.1 expression and surface CD28 reduce amyloid pathology and inflammation. It highlights immune co-stimulatory pathways as potential targets in AD. Very interesting!
Great work 👏 mapping how brain endothelial cells communicate with astrocyte endfeet at the blood–brain barrier in @natureportfolio.nature.com
The study identifies ligand–receptor pairs conserved in humans and altered in MS and Alzheimer’s.
Makes me also wonder how many could be druggable targets.
The study identifies ligand–receptor pairs conserved in humans and altered in MS and Alzheimer’s.
Makes me also wonder how many could be druggable targets.
November 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Great work 👏 mapping how brain endothelial cells communicate with astrocyte endfeet at the blood–brain barrier in @natureportfolio.nature.com
The study identifies ligand–receptor pairs conserved in humans and altered in MS and Alzheimer’s.
Makes me also wonder how many could be druggable targets.
The study identifies ligand–receptor pairs conserved in humans and altered in MS and Alzheimer’s.
Makes me also wonder how many could be druggable targets.
Interesting new work @natureportfolio.nature.com showing that a small molecule identified through in silico transcriptome matching (thiorphan) enhances corticospinal regeneration after spinal cord injury. Combined with neural stem cell grafts, it improved forelimb recovery and axonal growth.
November 4, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Interesting new work @natureportfolio.nature.com showing that a small molecule identified through in silico transcriptome matching (thiorphan) enhances corticospinal regeneration after spinal cord injury. Combined with neural stem cell grafts, it improved forelimb recovery and axonal growth.
Interesting new work modeling human cholinergic circuitry! Researchers generated nbM organoids from hPSCs and fused them with cortical organoids to form functional nbM–cortical assembloids. This provides a platform to study deficits seen in Down syndrome. @cp-cellstemcell.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Interesting new work modeling human cholinergic circuitry! Researchers generated nbM organoids from hPSCs and fused them with cortical organoids to form functional nbM–cortical assembloids. This provides a platform to study deficits seen in Down syndrome. @cp-cellstemcell.bsky.social
The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with dementia @cp-neuron.bsky.social
Great study that maps cell-type-specific regulomes showing that small vessel disease heritability spans the neurovascular unit, incl astrocytes.
These findings link vascular risk and Alzheimer’s mechanisms.
Great study that maps cell-type-specific regulomes showing that small vessel disease heritability spans the neurovascular unit, incl astrocytes.
These findings link vascular risk and Alzheimer’s mechanisms.
November 4, 2025 at 5:32 AM
The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with dementia @cp-neuron.bsky.social
Great study that maps cell-type-specific regulomes showing that small vessel disease heritability spans the neurovascular unit, incl astrocytes.
These findings link vascular risk and Alzheimer’s mechanisms.
Great study that maps cell-type-specific regulomes showing that small vessel disease heritability spans the neurovascular unit, incl astrocytes.
These findings link vascular risk and Alzheimer’s mechanisms.
Pluripotent Cells Expressing APOE4 Exhibit a Pronounced Pro-Apoptotic Phenotype Accompanied by Markers of Hyperinflammation and a Blunted NF-κB Response
www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26...
www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26...
October 30, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Pluripotent Cells Expressing APOE4 Exhibit a Pronounced Pro-Apoptotic Phenotype Accompanied by Markers of Hyperinflammation and a Blunted NF-κB Response
www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26...
www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26...
Important study shows that a new 3D method can efficiently produce dopamine neuron precursors from stem cells. The researchers also tracked how these cells grow and connect after transplantation, big step for Parkinson’s disease treatment!
cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
October 30, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Important study shows that a new 3D method can efficiently produce dopamine neuron precursors from stem cells. The researchers also tracked how these cells grow and connect after transplantation, big step for Parkinson’s disease treatment!
cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
Great study dissecting molecular hallmarks of neuronal resilience in Alzheimer’s disease highlighting natural protective mechanisms that could help preserve cognition.
x.com/rust_ruslan/...
x.com/rust_ruslan/...
October 30, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Great study dissecting molecular hallmarks of neuronal resilience in Alzheimer’s disease highlighting natural protective mechanisms that could help preserve cognition.
x.com/rust_ruslan/...
x.com/rust_ruslan/...
Can stem cells help to regain brain function after stroke?
Our new study in NatureComms @natureportfolio.nature.com shows that they can and dissect the key mechanisms driving recovery.
t.co/KRfAHfkNIH
Our new study in NatureComms @natureportfolio.nature.com shows that they can and dissect the key mechanisms driving recovery.
t.co/KRfAHfkNIH
September 21, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Can stem cells help to regain brain function after stroke?
Our new study in NatureComms @natureportfolio.nature.com shows that they can and dissect the key mechanisms driving recovery.
t.co/KRfAHfkNIH
Our new study in NatureComms @natureportfolio.nature.com shows that they can and dissect the key mechanisms driving recovery.
t.co/KRfAHfkNIH
Effects of psilocybin and related compounds on neuroprotection in human stroke www.researchhub.com/fund/4261/ef...
Effects of psilocybin and related compounds on neuroprote...
Effects of psilocybin and related compounds on neuroprotection...
www.researchhub.com
August 5, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Effects of psilocybin and related compounds on neuroprotection in human stroke www.researchhub.com/fund/4261/ef...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
Delayed Transplantation (7 vs 1 dpi) of #NeuralStemCell Improves Initial Graft Survival after #Stroke
⏫graft axon extension along #CorpusCallosum to contralateral hemisphere
@ctackenberg.bsky.social @rrust.bsky.social #AdvSci 2025
advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
⏫graft axon extension along #CorpusCallosum to contralateral hemisphere
@ctackenberg.bsky.social @rrust.bsky.social #AdvSci 2025
advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
June 8, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Delayed Transplantation (7 vs 1 dpi) of #NeuralStemCell Improves Initial Graft Survival after #Stroke
⏫graft axon extension along #CorpusCallosum to contralateral hemisphere
@ctackenberg.bsky.social @rrust.bsky.social #AdvSci 2025
advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
⏫graft axon extension along #CorpusCallosum to contralateral hemisphere
@ctackenberg.bsky.social @rrust.bsky.social #AdvSci 2025
advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
"Authentic" #hiPSC-derived #Pericyte 😎
Sharing highly similar proteome/phosphoproteome to primary👤🧠cortical pericyte
Contractile
⏫ #BloodBrainBarrier & Neuroprotective (Pdgfrb F7/F7🐭)
Clear Aβ Tau (🧠slices 5xFAD🐭 APOE4 P3001S🐭)
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Sharing highly similar proteome/phosphoproteome to primary👤🧠cortical pericyte
Contractile
⏫ #BloodBrainBarrier & Neuroprotective (Pdgfrb F7/F7🐭)
Clear Aβ Tau (🧠slices 5xFAD🐭 APOE4 P3001S🐭)
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
May 2, 2025 at 7:30 PM
"Authentic" #hiPSC-derived #Pericyte 😎
Sharing highly similar proteome/phosphoproteome to primary👤🧠cortical pericyte
Contractile
⏫ #BloodBrainBarrier & Neuroprotective (Pdgfrb F7/F7🐭)
Clear Aβ Tau (🧠slices 5xFAD🐭 APOE4 P3001S🐭)
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Sharing highly similar proteome/phosphoproteome to primary👤🧠cortical pericyte
Contractile
⏫ #BloodBrainBarrier & Neuroprotective (Pdgfrb F7/F7🐭)
Clear Aβ Tau (🧠slices 5xFAD🐭 APOE4 P3001S🐭)
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
#hiPSC derived #Pericyte
👉>80% Home to & >50% Arborize on Capillaries in live🧠slice of PdgfrbF7/F7🐭
in situ PDGFBB-PDGFRβ PLA assay😍
👉⏫Amyloidβ clearance on 10-m/o 5xFAD 🐭🧠slice
Are these phagocytic pericytes still vessel-bound?😁
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
👉>80% Home to & >50% Arborize on Capillaries in live🧠slice of PdgfrbF7/F7🐭
in situ PDGFBB-PDGFRβ PLA assay😍
👉⏫Amyloidβ clearance on 10-m/o 5xFAD 🐭🧠slice
Are these phagocytic pericytes still vessel-bound?😁
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
April 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
#hiPSC derived #Pericyte
👉>80% Home to & >50% Arborize on Capillaries in live🧠slice of PdgfrbF7/F7🐭
in situ PDGFBB-PDGFRβ PLA assay😍
👉⏫Amyloidβ clearance on 10-m/o 5xFAD 🐭🧠slice
Are these phagocytic pericytes still vessel-bound?😁
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
👉>80% Home to & >50% Arborize on Capillaries in live🧠slice of PdgfrbF7/F7🐭
in situ PDGFBB-PDGFRβ PLA assay😍
👉⏫Amyloidβ clearance on 10-m/o 5xFAD 🐭🧠slice
Are these phagocytic pericytes still vessel-bound?😁
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
In @nature.com we describe the use of scalable #proteinengineering & #machinelearning to predict millions of bespoke CRISPR enzymes, offering safer & more efficient genome editing tools 🧬🖥️ @rachelsilverstein9.bsky.social @mgbresearch.bsky.social @harvardmed.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Custom CRISPR—Cas9 PAM variants via scalable engineering and machine learning - Nature
Nature - Custom CRISPR—Cas9 PAM variants via scalable engineering and machine learning
www.nature.com
April 22, 2025 at 8:57 PM
In @nature.com we describe the use of scalable #proteinengineering & #machinelearning to predict millions of bespoke CRISPR enzymes, offering safer & more efficient genome editing tools 🧬🖥️ @rachelsilverstein9.bsky.social @mgbresearch.bsky.social @harvardmed.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
#Medsky🧪 #Neurosky Much of stroke research focuses on acute injury - but what changes in the brain one month after stroke? By @rrust.bsky.social et l
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
www.researchhub.com/paper/938498...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
www.researchhub.com/paper/938498...
April 18, 2025 at 10:57 PM
#Medsky🧪 #Neurosky Much of stroke research focuses on acute injury - but what changes in the brain one month after stroke? By @rrust.bsky.social et l
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
www.researchhub.com/paper/938498...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
www.researchhub.com/paper/938498...
Interesting finding that neural stem cells exist outside the brain/spinal cord-in tissues like lung & tail-and share key properties with brain NSCs, challenging current dogma.
Wonder if these NSCs exist in humans & can show similar therapeutic potential
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Wonder if these NSCs exist in humans & can show similar therapeutic potential
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Multipotent neural stem cells originating from neuroepithelium exist outside the mouse central nervous system - Nature Cell Biology
Han et al. report the existence of neural stem cells (NSCs) outside the central nervous system and show that these peripheral NSCs display features similar to brain NSCs, including the ability to diff...
www.nature.com
April 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Interesting finding that neural stem cells exist outside the brain/spinal cord-in tissues like lung & tail-and share key properties with brain NSCs, challenging current dogma.
Wonder if these NSCs exist in humans & can show similar therapeutic potential
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Wonder if these NSCs exist in humans & can show similar therapeutic potential
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New preprint🚨 We generated human brain pericytes from pluripotent stem cells. They show strong molecular & functional similarities to primary human brain pericytes
Transplanted into pericyte-deficient mice, they formed hybrid human-mouse microvessels🐭
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Transplanted into pericyte-deficient mice, they formed hybrid human-mouse microvessels🐭
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
April 10, 2025 at 11:09 PM
New preprint🚨 We generated human brain pericytes from pluripotent stem cells. They show strong molecular & functional similarities to primary human brain pericytes
Transplanted into pericyte-deficient mice, they formed hybrid human-mouse microvessels🐭
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Transplanted into pericyte-deficient mice, they formed hybrid human-mouse microvessels🐭
biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
Dynamic structural connectivity changes in cortical and cortico-striatal strokes in mice https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.27.644898v1
March 29, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Dynamic structural connectivity changes in cortical and cortico-striatal strokes in mice https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.27.644898v1
A new review from our lab exploring how the blood-brain barrier (BBB) can be used as a treatment target for neurodegenerative disorders
tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/...
TL;DR → Here are a few key highlights 👇
tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/...
TL;DR → Here are a few key highlights 👇
March 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
A new review from our lab exploring how the blood-brain barrier (BBB) can be used as a treatment target for neurodegenerative disorders
tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/...
TL;DR → Here are a few key highlights 👇
tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/...
TL;DR → Here are a few key highlights 👇
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
Here's a very cool paper from @biorxiv-biophys.bsky.social I shared on ResearchHub this week. The authors designed a three-legged motor protein that can walk down DNA in either direction. www.researchhub.com/paper/930685... 🧪 @researchhubf.bsky.social
March 18, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Here's a very cool paper from @biorxiv-biophys.bsky.social I shared on ResearchHub this week. The authors designed a three-legged motor protein that can walk down DNA in either direction. www.researchhub.com/paper/930685... 🧪 @researchhubf.bsky.social
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
Optimize the time window for cell therapy for #Stroke
Photothrombosis
Rag2-/-🐭
hiPSC-#NeuralProgenitorCell
intracerebral injection
7 days (vs 1 d) post injury➡️
⏫NPC proliferation
~20-fold⏫survival by 7-wk dpi👍
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Photothrombosis
Rag2-/-🐭
hiPSC-#NeuralProgenitorCell
intracerebral injection
7 days (vs 1 d) post injury➡️
⏫NPC proliferation
~20-fold⏫survival by 7-wk dpi👍
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
March 5, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Optimize the time window for cell therapy for #Stroke
Photothrombosis
Rag2-/-🐭
hiPSC-#NeuralProgenitorCell
intracerebral injection
7 days (vs 1 d) post injury➡️
⏫NPC proliferation
~20-fold⏫survival by 7-wk dpi👍
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Photothrombosis
Rag2-/-🐭
hiPSC-#NeuralProgenitorCell
intracerebral injection
7 days (vs 1 d) post injury➡️
⏫NPC proliferation
~20-fold⏫survival by 7-wk dpi👍
@rrust.bsky.social bioRxiv 2025
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
Do our genes sabotage our bodies?
@haoyin.bsky.social reviewed a bioRxiv paper that suggests a special gene helps melanoma (a type of skin cancer) grow and evade the immune system. 🧵1/7
@haoyin.bsky.social reviewed a bioRxiv paper that suggests a special gene helps melanoma (a type of skin cancer) grow and evade the immune system. 🧵1/7
March 4, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Do our genes sabotage our bodies?
@haoyin.bsky.social reviewed a bioRxiv paper that suggests a special gene helps melanoma (a type of skin cancer) grow and evade the immune system. 🧵1/7
@haoyin.bsky.social reviewed a bioRxiv paper that suggests a special gene helps melanoma (a type of skin cancer) grow and evade the immune system. 🧵1/7
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
February 27, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
#Medsky🧪 #IDsky #Immunosky #publichealth the study showed that rising self-antigen levels during infection give self-reactive #Tcells an opportunity for enhanced TCR signalling. Regulatory T cells of matched specificity counteract this that’s preventing autoimmunity.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Regulatory T cells constrain T cells of shared specificity to enforce tolerance during infection
During infections, CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells must control autoreactive CD4+ conventional T (Tconv) cell responses against self-peptide antigens while permitting those against pathogen-deri...
www.science.org
February 27, 2025 at 8:34 PM
#Medsky🧪 #IDsky #Immunosky #publichealth the study showed that rising self-antigen levels during infection give self-reactive #Tcells an opportunity for enhanced TCR signalling. Regulatory T cells of matched specificity counteract this that’s preventing autoimmunity.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Ruslan Rust
Is this real? I published it again on Brain @brain1878.bsky.social 😆
Truly appreciate the leadership of @rrust.bsky.social on this great project (>300 refs!)🫡👇
The blood–brain barrier: a help & a hindrance
#Aging #Stroke #Neurodegeneration
Crossing #BBB 😎
academic.oup.com/brain/advanc...
Truly appreciate the leadership of @rrust.bsky.social on this great project (>300 refs!)🫡👇
The blood–brain barrier: a help & a hindrance
#Aging #Stroke #Neurodegeneration
Crossing #BBB 😎
academic.oup.com/brain/advanc...
February 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Is this real? I published it again on Brain @brain1878.bsky.social 😆
Truly appreciate the leadership of @rrust.bsky.social on this great project (>300 refs!)🫡👇
The blood–brain barrier: a help & a hindrance
#Aging #Stroke #Neurodegeneration
Crossing #BBB 😎
academic.oup.com/brain/advanc...
Truly appreciate the leadership of @rrust.bsky.social on this great project (>300 refs!)🫡👇
The blood–brain barrier: a help & a hindrance
#Aging #Stroke #Neurodegeneration
Crossing #BBB 😎
academic.oup.com/brain/advanc...