Rusty Gage, PhD

Professor

Laboratory of Genetics

Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disease

Rusty Gage
Salk Institute for Biological Studies - News

News


Seven Salk scientists named among most highly cited researchers in the world

LA JOLLA—Salk Professors Joseph Ecker, Ronald Evans, Rusty Gage, Satchidananda Panda, Reuben Shaw, and Kay Tye, as well as research assistant Joseph Nery, have all been named to the Highly …


Salk Professor Rusty Gage awarded 2024 Taylor International Prize in Medicine

LA JOLLA—Professor Rusty Gage has been awarded the 2024 J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine by the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and the Robarts Research Institute at …


Salk awarded $3.6 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to advance research on brain aging

LA JOLLA—The Salk Institute was awarded $3.6 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), one of the world’s largest institutions dedicated to regenerative medicine. Salk Professor Rusty Gage …


Unveiling Telo-seq: A breakthrough in telomere research on aging and cancer

LA JOLLA—Within each of our cells, long strands of DNA are folded into chromosomes and capped with protective structures called telomeres. But telomeres shorten as we age, eventually getting so …


More than just neurons: A new model for studying human brain inflammation

LA JOLLA—The brain is typically depicted as a complex web of neurons sending and receiving messages. But neurons only make up half of the human brain. The other half—roughly 85 …


Salk researchers earn $1.3 million W. M. Keck Foundation award to study aging brain

LA JOLLA—Salk Institute Professor Rusty Gage and Assistant Professor Pallav Kosuri have been awarded $1.3 million by the W. M. Keck Foundation to fund a novel investigation into the way …


Seven Salk scientists named among best and most highly cited researchers in the world

LA JOLLA—Salk Professors Joseph Ecker, Ronald Evans, Satchidananda Panda, Rusty Gage, and Kay Tye, as well as Assistant Professor Jesse Dixon, have been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list …


A new model for understanding human brain immune cells and neurological disorders

LA JOLLA—Situated at the intersection of the human immune system and the brain are microglia, specialized brain immune cells that play a crucial role in development and disease. Although the …


Deteriorating neurons are source of human brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease

LA JOLLA—Despite decades of research, Alzheimer’s disease remains a debilitating and eventually fatal dementia with no effective treatment options. More than 95 percent of Alzheimer’s disease cases have no known …


Ten Salk professors named among best and most highly cited researchers in the world

LA JOLLA—Salk Professors Joseph Ecker, Ronald Evans, Rusty Gage, Christian Metallo, Satchidananda Panda, Reuben Shaw, and Kay Tye, along with Assistant Professor Jesse Dixon, have been named to the Highly Cited …


Six Salk professors named among most highly cited researchers in the world

LA JOLLA—Salk Professors Joanne Chory, Joseph Ecker, Rusty Gage, Satchidananda Panda, Reuben Shaw and Kay Tye have been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate. The list identifies researchers who …


Salk scientists reveal how brain cells in Alzheimer’s go awry, lose their identity

LA JOLLA—Despite the prevalence of Alzheimer’s, there are still no treatments, in part because it has been challenging to study how the disease develops. Now, scientists at the Salk Institute …


How brain cells repair their DNA reveals “hot spots” of aging and disease

LA JOLLA—Neurons lack the ability to replicate their DNA, so they’re constantly working to repair damage to their genome. Now, a new study by Salk scientists finds that these repairs …


Salk’s NOMIS Center receives $9.5 million to shape the future of research into health and immunity

LA JOLLA—As we endure a global viral pandemic, our appreciation for health and immunity has never been greater. Now, thanks to a generous gift from the NOMIS Foundation, Salk’s NOMIS …


Salk scientists awarded $1.2 million by Larry L. Hillblom Foundation to study brain aging and dementia

LA JOLLA—A collaborative team of Salk scientists led by Professor John Reynolds will receive $1.2 million over four years as part of a Network Grant from the Larry L. Hillblom …


New clues why gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder doesn’t work for majority of patients

LA JOLLA—Lithium is considered the gold standard for treating bipolar disorder (BD), but nearly 70 percent of people with BD don’t respond to it. This leaves them at risk for …


Five Salk professors named among most highly cited researchers in the world

LA JOLLA—Salk Professors Joanne Chory, Joseph Ecker, Rusty Gage, Reuben Shaw and Kay Tye have been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate. The list identifies researchers who demonstrate “significant …


Top San Diego research institutions, led by Salk, to receive an expected $5 million to study cellular aging in humans

LA JOLLA—The Salk Institute will establish a world-class San Diego Nathan Shock Center (SD-NSC), a consortium with Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and the University of California San Diego …


Altered potassium levels in neurons may cause mood swings in bipolar disorder

LA JOLLA—People with bipolar disorder experience dramatic shifts in mood, oscillating between often debilitating periods of mania and depression. While a third of people with bipolar disorder can be successfully …


Salk scientists link rapid brain growth in autism to DNA damage

LA JOLLA—Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a unique pattern of DNA damage that arises in brain cells derived from individuals with a macrocephalic form of autism spectrum disorder …


Eight Salk professors named among most highly cited researchers in the world

LA JOLLA—Salk Professors Joanne Chory, Joseph Ecker, Ronald Evans, Rusty Gage, Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, Terrence Sejnowski, Reuben Shaw and Kay Tye have been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate Analytics. …


Salk Institute hits play on new podcast series

LA JOLLA—A new podcast series called Where Cures Begin launches this week and features one-on-one conversations with Salk researchers working at the forefront of their respective scientific fields, from cancer …


The Kavli Foundation gifts Salk $3 million for cutting-edge neuroscience research

LA JOLLA—The Salk Institute announced today that The Kavli Foundation has committed $3 million to support ongoing neuroscience research at Salk as part of the joint UCSD-Salk Kavli Institute for …


When neurons are out of shape, antidepressants may not work

LA JOLLA—Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed medication for major depressive disorder (MDD), yet scientists still do not understand why the treatment does not work in …


Uncovering the evolution of the brain

LA JOLLA—What makes us human, and where does this mysterious property of “humanness” come from? Humans are genetically similar to chimpanzees and bonobos, yet there exist obvious behavioral and cognitive …


When neurons get the blues: hyperactive brain cells may be to blame when antidepressants don’t work

LA JOLLA—The most commonly prescribed antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), lift the fog of depression for many people. But for around a third of people with major depressive disorder, …


Salk team reveals clues into early development of autism spectrum disorder

LA JOLLA—Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a relatively common developmental disorder of communication and behavior that affects about 1 in 59 children in the US, according to the Centers for …


Salk President Rusty Gage named to new five-year term to lead Institute

LA JOLLA—The Board of Trustees of the Salk Institute, in consultation with the faculty and a search committee comprised of Board members, voted to extend a new five-year term to …


Trio of Salk scientists named among most highly cited researchers in the world

LA JOLLA—Salk Professors Joanne Chory, Joseph Ecker and Rusty Gage have once again been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters). The list selects …


Salk awarded $19.2 million by the American Heart Association-Allen Initiative to study Alzheimer’s and aging in the brain

LA JOLLA—A team of Salk Institute researchers led by President Rusty Gage has been awarded $19.2 million over eight years by the American Heart Association-Allen Initiative in Brain Health and …


Impaired energy production may explain why the brain is susceptible to age-related diseases

Aged mitochondria (green) in old neurons (gray) appear mostly as small punctate dots rather than a large interconnected network.

Click here for a high-resolution image Credit: Salk Institute

LA JOLLA—Defective energy …


Interconnected cells-in-a-dish let researchers study brain disease

LA JOLLA—By creating multiple types of neurons from stem cells and observing how they interact, Salk scientists have developed a new way to study the connections between brain cells in …


Grafted brain organoids provide insight into neurological disorders

LA JOLLA—Many neurological disorders—Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, autism, even depression—have lagged behind in new therapies. Because the brain is so complex, it can be difficult to discover new drugs and even when …


Early life experiences influence DNA in the adult brain

LA JOLLA—In the perennial question of nature versus nurture, a new study suggests an intriguing connection between the two. Salk Institute scientists report in the journal Science that the type …


Salk Institute augments leadership structure

LA JOLLA—With Elizabeth Blackburn planning to retire at the end of this summer, the Salk Institute has augmented its operational leadership structure, naming Professor Fred “Rusty” Gage as Interim President …


Partnership for a healthy brain

LA JOLLA—Salk Institute scientists have discovered that an interaction between two key proteins helps regulate and maintain the cells that produce neurons. The work, published in Cell Stem Cell on …


A star is born: lesser-known brain cell takes center stage

A stylized microscopy image of an astrocyte (red) and neuron (green). Blue circles indicate cell nuclei.

Click here for a high-resolution image.

Credit: Salk Institute

LA JOLLA—Neurons have long …


Brain’s immune cells linked to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia

LA JOLLA—Scientists have, for the first time, characterized the molecular markers that make the brain’s front lines of immune defense—cells called microglia—unique. In the process, they discovered further evidence that …


New method predicts who will respond to lithium therapy

LA JOLLA—For roughly one-third of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder, lithium is a miracle drug, effectively treating both their mania and depression. But once someone is diagnosed, it can take …


The brain’s stunning genomic diversity revealed

Using postmortem human brains and human embryonic stem cell models of brain development, Salk Institute researchers discover a new mechanism to generate DNA variation in human neurons. Here, human embryonic …

Johns Hopkins and Salk co-lead $15 million initiative to unravel bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

LA JOLLA—The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies will co-lead a $15.4 million effort to develop new systems for quickly screening libraries of …


Neurodevelopmental model of Williams Syndrome offers insight into human social brain

LA JOLLA—In a study spanning molecular genetics, stem cells and the sciences of both brain and behavior, researchers at University of California, San Diego and the Salk Institute have created …


Power up: growing neurons undergo major metabolic shift

LA JOLLA—Our brains can survive only for a few minutes without oxygen. Salk Institute researchers have now identified the timing of a dramatic metabolic shift in developing neurons, which makes …


New neurons reveal clues about an individual’s autism

LA JOLLA—The brains of some people with autism spectrum disorder grow faster than usual early on in life, often before diagnosis. A new study co-led by Salk Institute scientists has …


Small molecule keeps new adult neurons from straying, may be tied to schizophrenia

LA JOLLA—A small stretch of ribonucleic acid called microRNA could make the difference between a healthy adult brain and one that’s prone to disorders including schizophrenia.

Scientists at the Salk Institute …


Adult brain prunes branched connections of new neurons

LA JOLLA—When tweaking its architecture, the adult brain works like a sculptor—starting with more than it needs so it can carve away the excess to achieve the perfect design. That’s …


Tamping down neurons’ energy use could treat neurodegeneration

LA JOLLA—Salk Institute scientists showed how an FDA-approved drug boosts the health of brain cells by limiting their energy use. Like removing unnecessary lighting from a financially strapped household to …


Salk professor Rusty Gage elected to the National Academy of Sciences Governing Council

LA JOLLA—Distinguished Salk Institute Professor Rusty Gage is one of four new members to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Governing Council. Gage is a professor in …


Three Salk scientists make Thomson Reuters’ list of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds”

Salk Institute scientists Joanne Chory, Joseph Ecker and Rusty Gage have been named to the 2015 list of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds” by Thomson Reuters.

Reuters, a multinational mass …


Salk scientists make serotonin-transmitting neurons in a dish

LA JOLLA—Scientists at the Salk Institute have taken human skin cells and turned them into neurons that signal to one another using serotonin, a brain chemical that is crucial to …


Bipolar patients’ brain cells predict response to lithium

LA JOLLA–The brain cells of patients with bipolar disorder, characterized by severe swings between depression and elation, are more sensitive to stimuli than other people’s brain cells, researchers have discovered.

The …


Salk scientists discover protein factories hidden in human jumping genes

LA JOLLA–Scientists have discovered a previously unknown wellspring of genetic diversity in humans, chimps and most other primates. This diversity arises from a new component of itinerant sections of genetic …


Researchers learn how to grow old brain cells

LA JOLLA–For the first time, scientists can use skin samples from older patients to create brain cells without rolling back the youthfulness clock in the cells first. The new technique, …


Rusty Gage receives Allen Distinguished Investigator Award to reveal biology of Alzheimer’s disease

LA JOLLA–The Salk Institute today announced that Rusty Gage, Salk professor in the Laboratory of Genetics, has been selected as one of five recipients of the Paul G. Allen Family …


New stem cell research points to early indicators of schizophrenia

LA JOLLA—Using new stem cell technology, scientists at the Salk Institute have shown that neurons generated from the skin cells of people with schizophrenia behave strangely in early developmental stages, …


Salk lab turns skin cells into human airway tissue

LA JOLLA—Using reprogrammed skin cells, researchers have for the first time used stem cell techniques to grow fully functional assemblies of the cells that line airways leading to the lungs. …


Scientists reveal potential link between brain development and breast cancer gene

LA JOLLA—Scientists at the Salk Institute have uncovered details into a surprising—and crucial—link between brain development and a gene whose mutation is tied to breast and ovarian cancer. Aside from …


Study finds a patchwork of genetic variation in the brain

LA JOLLA, CA—It was once thought that each cell in a person’s body possesses the same DNA code and that the particular way the genome is read imparts cell function …


Induced pluripotent stem cells reveal differences between humans and great apes

LA JOLLA, CA—Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have, for the first time, taken chimpanzee and bonobo skin cells and turned them into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), …


The neuroscience of finding your lost keys

LA JOLLA, CA—Ever find yourself racking your brain on a Monday morning to remember where you put your car keys?

When you do find those keys, you can thank the hippocampus, …


Salk scientists develop faster, safer method for producing stem cells

LA JOLLA, CA—A new method for generating stem cells from mature cells promises to boost stem cell production in the laboratory, helping to remove a barrier to regenerative medicine therapies …


What can the water monster teach us about tissue regeneration in humans?

LA JOLLA, CA—Based on two new studies by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, regeneration of a new limb or organ in a human will be much more …


Neurons derived from cord blood cells may represent new therapeutic option

LA JOLLA, CA—For more than 20 years, doctors have been using cells from blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord after childbirth to treat a variety of illnesses, …


Salk scientist receives distinguished NIH award for transformative research

LA JOLLA, CA—Dr. Fred Gage, a professor in the Salk Institute Laboratory of Genetics and holder of the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases, has …


Salk Institute scientist garners international esteem on two continents

LA JOLLA, CA—Lending credence to the popular notion that good things come in threes, Salk Institute professor Fred “Rusty” Gage, Ph.D. recently was recognized with a trio of honors on …


Patients’ own cells yield new insights into the biology of schizophrenia

LA JOLLA, CA—After a century of studying the causes of schizophrenia-the most persistent disabling condition among adults-the cause of the disorder remains unknown. Now induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated …


Stem cell leader awarded $2.3 million grant for Parkinson’s

LA JOLLA, CA—The Salk Institute has been awarded a $2.3 million grant by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) for translational research focusing on developing a novel stem cell …


Rett syndrome mobilizes jumping genes in the brain

LA JOLLA, CA–With few exceptions, jumping genes-restless bits of DNA that can move freely about the genome-are forced to stay put. In patients with Rett syndrome, however, a mutation in …


Modeling autism in a dish

LA JOLLA, CA—A collaborative effort between researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the University of California, San Diego, successfully used human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells derived …


Work-life balance: Brain stem cells need their rest, too

LA JOLLA, CA—Stem cells in the brain remain dormant until called upon to divide and make more neurons. However, little has been known about the molecular guards that keep them …


American Philosophical Society inducts Fred H. Gage

LA JOLLA—Salk scientist Fred H. Gage, a professor in the Laboratory for Genetics and the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases, has been elected to …


Salk scientist has been elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization

LA JOLLA, CA—Dr. Fred H. Gage, a professor in the Laboratory for Genetics at the Salk Institute and the Vi and John Adler Chair for Research on Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases, …


Newborn brain cells show the way

LA JOLLA, CA—Although the fact that we generate new brain cells throughout life is no longer disputed, their purpose has been the topic of much debate. Now, an international collaboration …


Newborn brain cells “time-stamp” memories

La Jolla, CA — “Remember when…?” is how many a wistful trip down memory lane begins. But just how the brain keeps tabs on what happened and when is …


A novel human stem cell-based model of ALS opens doors for rapid drug screening

La Jolla, CA — Long thought of as mere bystanders, astrocytes are crucial for the survival and well-being of motor neurons, which control voluntary muscle movements. In fact, defective astrocytes …


Newborn neurons in the adult brain can settle in the wrong neighborhood

La Jolla, CA–In a study that could have significant consequences for neural tissue transplantation strategies, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that inactivating a specific gene in …


Salk Scientist Fred H. Gage to Receive the Keio Medical Science Prize

La Jolla – Salk researcher Dr. Fred H. Gage, professor in the Laboratory of Genetics, has been awarded the Keio Medical Science Prize for his discovery of the physiological role …


Salk researchers reprogram adult stem cells in their natural environment

La Jolla, CA – In recent years, stem cell researchers have become very adept at manipulating the fate of adult stem cells cultured in the lab. Now, researchers at the …


UC San Diego and Salk Institute Establish Center to Study the Origin of Humans

La Jolla, CA – Perhaps the oldest question in the world is “where do I come from?”

To help answer this question from a scientific perspective, a multidisciplinary group of researchers …


Newborn brain cells modulate learning and memory

La Jolla, CA – Boosted by physical and mental exercise, neural stem cells continue to sprout new neurons throughout life, but the exact function of these newcomers has been the …


Newborn neurons like to hang with the in-crowd

La Jolla, CA – Like any new kid on the block that tries to fit in, newborn brain cells need to find their place within the existing network of …


Life and death in the hippocampus: what young neurons need to survive

La Jolla, CA – Whether newborn nerve cells in adult brains live or die depends on whether they can muscle their way into networks occupied by mature …


Finding a cellular Neverland: How stem cells stay childlike

La Jolla, CA – Despite their celebrated “immortality,” the capacity of embryonic stem (ES) cells for endless division has its limits. After a very extended childhood spent …


Human embryonic stem cells integrate successfully into mouse brain

La Jolla, CA – Previous studies have shown that undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESC) can survive in the brains of laboratory rats with Parkinson’s disease. But until now it …


“Jumping genes” contribute to the uniqueness of individual brains

La Jolla, CA – Brains are marvels of diversity: no two look the same – not even those of otherwise identical twins. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies …


Salk scientist Rusty Gage elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Awardees also include sculptor, actor and Supreme Court Chief Justice

La Jolla, CA – Fred H. “Rusty” Gage, Ph.D., whose basic research at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies has advanced scientific understanding about the potential of the adult brain …


Current Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Contaminated With Potentially Dangerous Non-Human Molecule, UCSD/Salk Team Finds

La Jolla, CA – Currently available lines of human embryonic stem cells have been contaminated with a non-human molecule that compromises their potential therapeutic use in human subjects, according to …


New Findings Reopen Debate About Adult Stem Cell Plasticity

La Jolla, CA – Adult stem cells in the brain can change their destiny and become blood vessel cells instead of nerve cells, a Salk Institute study has found.

The study, …


Stem Cell Regulator Could Hold Key to Staving Off Age-related Brain Changes

La Jolla, CA – A brain-specific genetic switch protein known as a receptor has been found to control the fate of adult stem cells in the brain, according to a …


Gene Therapy Postpones Lou Gehrig’s Disease Symptoms

La Jolla, CA – A unique gene therapy method postpones the symptoms and nearly doubles the life span in a mouse animal model of Lou Gehrig’s disease, a research team …


Salk Professor Fred H. Gage Elected to National Academy of Sciences

La Jolla, CA – Salk Institute Professor Fred H. Gage has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. The election was held April 29 during the business session of …


Salk Scientists Demonstrate For The First Time That Newly Born Brain Cells Are Functional In The Adult Brain

La Jolla, CA – Salk Institute scientists have observed for the first time that new cells in the adult brain grow and mature over time, functioning just like any of …


Neural Progenitor Cells Recovered From Postmortem And Adult Tissue

La Jolla, CA – Salk Institute scientists have isolated cells from the brains of human cadavers that can grow, divide and form specialized classes of brain cells. Their findings indicate …


Exercise Makes Mice Smarter, Salk Scientists Demonstrate

La Jolla, CA – Should you hit the treadmill before hitting the books?

A new Salk study shows that physical exercise triggers chemical changes in the brain that spur learning …


Running boosts number of brain cells, according to new Salk study

La Jolla, CA – Can regular exercise strengthen the brain? According to a new Salk study, animals that get regular voluntary exercise on running wheels grow more new brain cells …


Slow-learning mice can improve learning speed when raised in enriched environment

La Jolla, CA – Like their human counterparts, all mice are not created equal when it comes to learning new tasks.

But if given the opportunity to live in a social, …


Human brains do sprout new cells according to new Salk study

La Jolla, CA – Like bubbles fizzing from fine champagne, it has long been assumed that our supply of brain cells steadily diminishes through our lives, never to be replenished. …


An enriched environment stimulates an increase in the number of nerve cells in brains of older mice

La Jolla, CA – Salk investigators have discovered that aging mice living in a stimulating environment display three times the number of new brain cells as mice who live in …


Education

BS, University of Florida
MS, Johns Hopkins University
PhD, Johns Hopkins University


Affiliations


Awards & Honors

  • Taylor International Prize in Medicine, 2024
  • W.M. Keck Foundation Award, 2024
  • The International Society for Stem Cell Research Achievement Award, 2020
  • ARCS Foundation Scientist of the Year, 2018
  • JCN-Wiley W. Maxwell Cowan Award in Developmental Neuroscience, 2017
  • Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Allen Distinguished Investigator Award, 2015
  • George A. Miller Prize in Cognitive Neuroscience, 2013
  • Fyssen Foundation International Prize, 2011
  • Cátedra Santiago Grisolia Award, 2011
  • International Society for Stem Cell Research President, 2011-2012
  • American Philosophical Society, 2010
  • European Molecular Biology Organization, Associate Member, 2009
  • Keio Medical Science Prize, 2008
  • The American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow, 2005
  • The National Academy of Sciences Fellow, 2003
  • The Max Planck Society/Gertrud Reemtsma Foundation Klaus-Joachim Zülch Prize, 2003
  • MetLife Award for Medical Research, 2002
  • National Academy of Medicine Fellow, 2001
  • Society for Neuroscience President, 2001
  • The Robert J. and Claire Pasarow Foundation Award, 1999
  • Max Planck Research Prize, 1999
  • Christopher Reeve Research Medal, 1997
  • Charles A. Dana Award for Pioneering Achievements in Health and Education, 1993
  • IPSEN Prize in Neuronal Plasticity, 1990