Our Research

OVERALL GOAL: Our lab focuses on understanding a role for the adaptive immune system in healthy age- and trauma-related maladaptive responses (including memory loss, chronic pain, decreases in social interactions). Importantly, we explore how sex-dimorphic changes in immune and/or neuronal function can impact these alterations.

BACKGROUND: Each year in the United States, at least 3 million people suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable to TBI due to the increased numbers of falls. Both age and TBI are considered to be clinical risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. TBI is equally prevalent in males and females in the elderly population. Unfortunately, sex-differences associated with trauma have largely been ignored in preclinical and clinical studies. In addition, while many studies have focused on cognitive deficits, current estimates suggest that 50% of individuals will experience chronic pain (characterized by headache and/or peripheral neuropathy) after TBI. Interestingly, similar cellular mechanisms are hypothesized as regulators of TBI-mediated cognitive decline and chronic pain. However, little is known about the intersections of these persistent injury effects that negatively impact quality of life. Identification of common mechanisms could lead to development of therapeutics to treat multiple devastating consequences of TBI.