My primary research focus is on the role of inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases such as Niemann Pick Type-C disease. In particular, emerging evidence suggests that neuroinflammation, a carefully controlled infiltration of specific immune cells into the tissue, may be critical for neuronal damage. The interplay between neurons, resident support, endothelial cell and infiltrating immune cells (particularly monocytes) is complex. Therefore I will apply cellular and genetic approaches to critically assess the role of the different cell types in neurodegenerative diseases.