The International Brain Initiative welcomes Dr. Toshihisa Ohtsuka and Dr. Jialin Zheng as Co-Chairs
The International Brain Initiative (IBI) is excited to announce that Dr. Toshihisa Ohtsuka and Dr. Jialin Zheng have assumed the role of Co-Chairs of the IBI Executive Committee. As Co-Chairs, Drs. Ohtsuka and Zheng will provide shared leadership with Dr. Anthony Hannan (IBI Chair) in advocating for border-free global science, scholarship, and innovation for the brain that are catalyzed by the critical engagement of large-scale brain initiatives and unprecedented opportunities for international collaboration through the efforts of IBI and its partners, including IBRO.
Please join us in congratulating Drs. Ohtsuka and Zheng on this appointment!
Dr. Toshihisa Ohtsuka
Toshihisa Ohtsuka, M.D. & Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, at the University of Yamanashi, with a specialization in biochemistry and neurochemistry. His work centers on the structure and function of presynaptic active zones in neurons. Recently, Dr. Ohtsuka has expanded his research to explore the homeostatic and functional alterations of active zone-associated proteins in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Since 2015, he has also served as a Program Officer for AMED's BRAIN/MINDS and BRAIN/MINDS Beyond initiatives, a role he currently maintains for BRAIN/MINDS 2.0 (2024~).
Dr. Jialin Charles Zheng
Jialin Charles Zheng, M.D., is an internationally acclaimed medical scientist and visionary leader whose transformative impact has elevated Tongji University School of Medicine (TUSM) into a world-class academic health sciences center. As the Dean, Distinguished Professor of Neurology and Regenerative Medicine, and Director of the Brain and Spinal Cord Clinical Research Center at TUSM, Dr. Zheng has championed a culture of excellence and collaboration. A leading expert in neuroinflammation and stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and HIV-1 associated dementia, Dr. Zheng has led numerous NIH-funded and international research projects. Dr. Zheng's expertise extends to significant national roles, including serving as an invited expert for the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), a member of the Ministry of Education's (MOE) Education and Instruction Committee, a Certified Expert of Clinical Medicine, an executive committee member of international brain initiative, and a member of Alliance of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI) and Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Global Workforce Advisory Panel. A dedicated bridge-builder, he has actively fostered strategic international partnerships between Chinese institutions and leading universities in the United States and Europe, further globalizing medical education and research.