Josh Samuels, a graduate student in the Lukens and Price labs, has won the Jill E. Hungerford Award for 2026. This award is given annually to a doctoral student who exemplifies a commitment, achievement, and passion for research aimed at broadening scientific knowledge.
Josh is a current PhD student in Neuroscience at UVA. He earned a bachelor of science degree in Biology and Psychology from Washington College.
We asked Josh to tell us about his research and his hopes for the future.
Can you tell us about your research?
My research investigates how the immune system protects the brain from neurodegenerative disease. In Alzheimer’s disease, microglia (the immune cell within the brain) have become increasingly implicated in the course of the disease where they have been shown to protect the brain from amyloid beta plaque accumulation. Interestingly, these same cells have also been shown to respond in ways that are both beneficial and detrimental in other neurological diseases. My research explores how microglial immune functions are regulated in neurodegenerative disease with the goal of identifying novel mechanisms that can be therapeutically targeted to tune microglial responses. Using mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease-like neuropathology, we identified that the phosphatase SHP-1 functions to shut down key neuroprotective microglial immune functions that are used to protect the brain from amyloidosis. In these studies, we show that loss of SHP-1 in microglia enables these cells to interact with and clear amyloid beta plaques more efficiently, ultimately reducing neuronal demise and cognitive dysfunction. I am also currently conducting similar studies exploring the role microglial SHP-1 in animal models of tauopathy and multiple sclerosis, with the goal of extending these findings to other neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, my research has identified novel molecules that orchestrate microglial immune functions and uncovered microglia-specific players that can be targeted to tune the immune system in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological diseases.
What drives or motivates your scientific pursuits?
The brain is the control center for everything that we are and, when things go awry, the impact on the person and those around them is significant. Up until relatively recently, we thought that the brain did all of this independently. Interestingly, we are starting to understand and appreciate that our brain does not work in isolation, but rather that our brain and immune system are closely intertwined to control our body’s responses to the world around us. This brain-immune crosstalk is fascinating to me, and I am motivated to continue to explore how these two systems work together to make us who we are. I also hope that by further understanding how these systems interact, we can meaningfully influence the trajectory of patients with neurological diseases.
What are your future goals?
I hope to lead a team of scientists to explore novel brain-immune mechanisms contributing to neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. I also hope to continue to mentor fantastic young scientists throughout my research career. I am currently exploring postdoctoral fellowships to continue my research training on brain-immune crosstalk in brain homeostasis and neurological disease.
Congratulations on winning this award, Josh!