Research Laboratories

The Ackerman lab uses both zebrafish and fruit fly model systems to determine how distinct glial cell populations (individually and collectively) instruct nervous system development, from synapses to circuits.

PI: Sarah Ackerman, PhD

The Gordon Lab studies both healthy aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s by combining cognitive testing with advanced neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and PET. Our interdisciplinary research bridges cognitive neuroscience, psychology, neurology, and radiology to better understand the aging brain.

PI: Brian Gordon, PhD

The Campisi Lab’s research aims to understand how T-cell responses are regulated under normal conditions and how genetic, environmental, or parasitic disruptions affect their function. Using genetic models, we investigate immune regulation and uncover mechanisms relevant to T-cell therapies across neurodegeneration, autoimmunity, cancer, and infection.

PI: Laura Campisi, PhD

The Cashikar lab studies how oxysterols—oxidized forms of cholesterol—regulate key cellular processes like lipid balance, inflammation, and cell signaling. Our research focuses on how these molecules contribute to neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.

PI: Anil Cashikar, PhD

Research in Cavalli laboratory focuses on elucidating the neuronal, glial and immune mechanisms that dictate the regenerative response of peripheral sensory neurons and to relate this information to the lack of regenerative capacity in the central nervous system.

PI: Valeria Cavalli, PhD

The Colonna lab focuses on innate immunity, with research spanning mucosal defense by innate lymphoid cells, neuroimmune mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease, and the role of plasmacytoid dendritic cells and interferons in host defense and autoimmunity. Our work aims to uncover how innate immune pathways shape health and disease across diverse biological systems.

PI: Marco Colonna, MD

The Cooper lab investigates the mechanisms driving lysosomal storage disorders, with a focus on Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (Batten disease). Our research explores how dysfunction in glial cells—particularly astrocytes and microglia—contributes to early neurodegeneration in different forms of the disease.

PI: Jonathan Cooper, PhD

My research interests are focused on leveraging multi-omic data (genetic, genomics, proteomics, epigenomics, lipidomis and others) and deep clinical phenotypes from large and well characterized neurodegenerative diseases (i.e: Alzheimer, Parkinson, Frontotemporal dementia) cohorts in order to identify novel genes, pathways, molecular biomarkers and drug targets for these diseases.

PI: Carlos Cruchaga, PhD

Dr. Davis’ laboratory research is aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of protein aggregation and neurodegeneration in Parkinson Disease, with a special interest in factors that contribute to dementia in Parkinson Disease and related disorders including Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

PI: Albert (Gus) Davis, MD, PhD

The Dougherty lab develops novel neurotechnology to better understand transcriptional and translational regulation in health and disease, with a focus on astroglia.

PI: Joseph Dougherty, PhD

Our lab is interested in studying astrocytes as they are beginning to emerge as a critical component of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our goal is to understand the mechanisms that regulate reactive astrocytes by utilizing a combination of biochemistry, molecular biology, cellular models of inflammation, and mouse models of AD.

PI: Gilbert Gallardo, PhD

The Han lab seeks to elucidate the mechanisms by which microglia and other brain macrophages contribute to the neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, through the lens of epigenetics and transcriptomics.

PI: Claudia Han, PhD

The Hershey Lab explores how metabolic and neurodegenerative conditions, such as obesity and diabetes, affect brain function and development using neuroimaging, pharmacological, and cognitive approaches. Our interdisciplinary research integrates neuroscience, radiology, endocrinology, and psychiatry to enhance clinical relevance and impact.

PI: Tamara Hershey, PhD

The Herzog Lab studies the molecules, cells and circuits underlying daily rhythms in mammals. We use real-time, long-term cellular imaging, electrophysiology and manipulations to gain insights into the roles of specific signals and cell types in the rich repertoire of daily behaviors.

PI: Erik Herzog, PhD

The Holtzman lab investigates the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease, with a focus on tau metabolism, anti-tau therapies, and the role of apoE in tau-related pathology. We also study how microglia and genes like TREM2 influence neurodegeneration in the context of amyloid and tau accumulation.

PI: David Holtzman, MD

Our lab research is centered on the development of cutting-edge optical and photoacoustic technologies for high-resolution structural, functional, metabolic, and molecular imaging in vivo and their applications in both basic and translational brain research.

PI: Song Hu, PhD

The Kipnis lab investigates how the immune and nervous systems communicate in both health and disease. Our discovery of lymphatic vessels surrounding the brain has reshaped understanding in neuroimmunology and revealed new insights into how the immune system influences neurological disorders.

PI: Jonathan Kipnis, PhD

The Klechevsky lab studies human dendritic cells—key regulators of the adaptive immune system—to understand how they detect threats and shape immune responses. By uncovering the unique roles of dendritic cell subsets, we aim to develop innovative immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

PI: Eynav Klechevsky, PhD

Research in the Kummer lab is focused on the mechanisms of cellular damage in traumatic brain injury and in Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular focus on synaptic and other forms of gray matter injury.

PI: Terrance Kummer, MD, PhD

We are engaged in translational research to investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in acute and chronic brain injury, with a focus on Ischemic stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

PI: Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD

The Li lab focuses on microglial biology to understand how these immune cells influence brain development, aging, and neurodegenerative disease. Using single-cell genomics and genetic tools, we explore fundamental questions about microglial identity, function, and diversity with the goal of uncovering insights with strong translational potential.

PI: Tristan Qingyun Li, PhD

Our laboratory focuses on cerebrospinal fluid physiology, both under normal conditions and in pathological states such as hydrocephalus and syringomyelia. We are particularly interested in the biology of the ventricular zone—the wall of the ventricle—and the subjacent subventricular zone, and the effect of injury to these areas on brain development.

PI: David Limbrick, MD, PhD

The Liu lab investigates how gene-environment interactions, autophagy, and diet influence gut and liver health, using models such as mice, organoids, and stem cells. We also apply deep learning to develop histopathology algorithms for gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

PI: Ta-Chiang Liu, MD, PhD, AGAF

The Mokalled lab aims to elucidate evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of spinal cord regeneration, and to develop zebrafish-inspired interventions to promote spinal cord repair in mammals. Our goal is to leverage the strengths of the zebrafish model system to uncover the molecular identities of pro-regenerative cells in zebrafish, and to reconstruct analogous identities in humans.

PI: Mayssa Mokalled, PhD

We study the development, organization, degeneration, and regeneration of visual circuits. Our goal is to understand the synaptic connectivity rules that convert agglomerations of cells into image-processing circuitry. Light and electron microscopy are our tools of choice.

PI: Josh Morgan, PhD

The Musiek lab examines how the circadian clock influences neuroinflammation, glial activation and function, protein aggregation, and neurodegeneration in mouse models of Alzheimer’s Disease and other degenerative conditions.

PI: Erik Musiek, MD, PhD

The Papouin lab’s research program is centered on astrocyte biology: Specifically, research currently carried out in our lab aims at understanding the interplay between astrocytes and neuromodulation, its molecular underpinnings, and the roles it plays in cognition and cognitive deficits associated with neurological disorders such as Schizophrenia.

PI: Thomas Papouin, PhD

Dr. Perrin leads the Translational Human Neurodegenerative Disease Research (THuNDR) Lab, which supports major national and institutional efforts focused on Alzheimer’s and related disorders. Our work centers on advancing biomarkers and therapies for neurodegenerative diseases through collaborative, translational research.

PI: Richard Perrin, MD, PhD

Our lab is striving to understand how brain circuits are formed during development and how these circuits mediate behavior. Our studies focus on the development and function of interhemispheric connections of the mammalian brain, and we study animals and people with altered brain wiring.

PI: Linda Richards, AO, FAA, FAHMS, PhD

Research in our laboratory is focused on determining the phenotype, function, and specificity of T cells in neurological disorders. Our overarching goal is to gain novel scientific knowledge in regard to human adaptive immune responses in neurological diseases that will help guide clinical practice.

PI: Naresha Saligrama, PhD

The Strahle lab investigates how germinal matrix hemorrhage-intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH-IVH) leads to brain injury and hydrocephalus in infants, aiming to develop targeted therapies to improve outcomes. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we study the roles of blood breakdown products, cilia function, and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in disease pathogenesis.

PI: Jennifer Strahle, MD

The Teitelbaum lab investigates strategies to prevent obesity by reprogramming myeloid lineage cells to a hypoinflammatory state, which blocks weight gain from a high-fat diet. We are now exploring whether this approach, particularly through targeting microglia, can reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

PI: Steven Teitelbaum, MD

Our lab studies the biological mechanisms that control hair cell production and the survival of their afferent neurons in the inner ear. We aim to understand how damage from noise, aging, or ototoxic drugs leads to hearing loss and balance disorders.

PI: Mark Warchol, PhD

The Wu Lab investigates how the nervous and immune systems interact to better understand neuroimmunologic diseases. Using immunological approaches in both animal models and human studies, we focus on the mechanisms driving inflammation in the central nervous system, particularly in multiple sclerosis and related conditions.

PI: Gregory Wu, MD, PhD

The Zhao lab is interested in dissecting the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration through multiple integrated approaches including single nucleus RNA-seq (snRNA-seq), network analysis, genomics, epigenomics and machine learning.

PI: Guoyan Zhao, PhD