Corinne Lasmézas, PhD, DVM, is a professor at The Scripps Research Institute, where she has worked for over a decade. She is an internationally recognized expert in neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on the mechanisms of neurodegeneration and the role of misfolded proteins in conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prion diseases.

Since joining Scripps in 2005, Dr. Lasmézas has led research exploring how misfolded proteins contribute to neuronal dysfunction and loss, advancing understanding in this critical area of neurobiology. Earlier in her career, she provided the first experimental evidence linking “mad cow disease” (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) to humans, identifying its role in causing variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This breakthrough highlighted the shared mechanisms of prion diseases and other age-related neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

During the mad cow disease crisis, Dr. Lasmézas served as an advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and various governmental and public health committees, offering critical insights into prion disease management. Today, she continues to contribute to the scientific community as a reviewer for major funding agencies worldwide, including the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the UK Medical Research Council. She also advises the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Dr. Lasmézas has published over 60 original scientific papers and is a frequent speaker at global scientific events, including TED Talks. She holds a PhD in Neurosciences from the University Pierre & Marie Curie in Paris, a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, and a Diploma of Aeronautic and Space Medicine from the University of Toulouse, France.