Norbert Žilka is a neuroscientist and immunologist specialising in neurodegenerative diseases, and specifically Alzheimer’s disease. Although he initially aspired to be a writer, his fascination with immunology and pathology led him to a career in science. His academic focus is on developing new diagnostic methods for dementia, while commercially he is involved in creating a vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease.
Throughout his career, he has focused on Alzheimer's research and diagnosis. „Alzheimer's disease is a global problem. It’s a chronic disease that can be present for 20 years without clinical symptoms. The disease is a major economic problem, plundering public coffers around the world. It’s like an avalanche that affects not only individuals, but also their loved ones and the whole society,“ explains the director of the Institute of Neuroimmunology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.
His team focuses on developing diagnostic tools and treatments that could improve the lives of patients with the disease. They work on developing a vaccine that could be used not only to treat but also to prevent Alzheimer's disease. „The vaccine teaches the immune system to produce antibodies that recognise and remove disease proteins in the brain,“ Norbert Žilka explains.
Norbert Žilka’s team has set upon a completely new path that is gradually bringing results. They have focused on employing the immune system in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Although many experts were sceptical in the past, there are now antibody-based drugs that recognise unwanted changes in the brain and can eliminate them.
In 2022, his team received a prestigious €5-million grant from the European Commission to implement modern dementia diagnostic methods. As part of this project, Žilka aims to develop a new diagnostic test for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.
Besides this disease, Norbert Žilka also researches multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). His team has successfully implemented a blood biomarker into clinical practice that helps monitor the progression of multiple sclerosis and track the effectiveness of therapy. „This is a huge step forward because we are one of the first countries to use blood biomarkers for multiple sclerosis in clinical practice.“ For ALS, they are working in collaboration with the best European research institutes to develop a new diagnostic tool to detect the disease in its early stages.
Norbert Žilka spends his free time with literature and cinema. „I love literature. I received that as a gift from my parents. And I often write popular science articles, because that's where I can express my fondness for writing.“ His passion for literature and film, especially European art and independent films, has followed him throughout his life. He says his scientific career can be somewhat reminiscent of Agatha Christie's detective novels. „You're following a particular story. You think you've already uncovered the culprit, but suddenly everything changes, contexts shift, and the alleged culprit is innocent again. Just as Agatha Christie likes to play with her readers, nature can fool us in a similar way. We feel we have solved a mystery; we celebrate because we have successfully published our findings, but in a few months someone else may come along and say that the truth is elsewhere.“
