Our Research Let’s take a look.

On his website, Dan Wesson, Ph.D., says, “Here in the Wesson Lab, we explore the neural processing of sensory information in the context of behavior. ”

The Bird Lab is interested in how myosin molecular motors generate force on actin filaments and how defects in this fundamental cytoskeletal mechanism cause human disease. Dr. Bird studies this question using hair cells, the neural receptors for hearing and balance that are found within the inner ear.

The main goal of Dr. Casadesus’ Research program is to understand how, at a cellular and molecular level, age-related or lifestyle-mediated changes in hormones receptor signaling impact brain health and drive increased risk for AD.

Meet Olga Guryanova, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, and learn about her research on chromatin organization and epigenetic regulation on leukemia development.

The Hammers Lab researches physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of skeletal and cardiac muscle, particularly those associated with genetic diseases known as muscular dystrophies. The primary motivation of these efforts is to identify potential therapeutic targets that can be exploited to develop treatments for muscle and heart diseases using small molecules and/or adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies.

Efforts in Dr. Harrison’s laboratory are directed toward understanding mechanisms by which immune cells contribute to tumor progression and resistance to immunotherapies. 

The Raj Khanna lab studies allosteric regulation and trafficking of voltage-gated ion channels in chronic pain and neurodegenerative diseases. We are well-positioned to address broader foundational aspects of the chronification of pain, with multidisciplinary expertise in mouse genetics, confocal microscopy, protein biochemistry, electrophysiology – i.e. whole cell (current- and voltage-clamp; in rats, mice, pigs, macaque, and human DRGs) and slice (mice and rats), live imaging and evoked/affective pain behavioral analyses in rodent models to dissect mechanisms and roles of chronic pain.

As stated on his website, Daniel Kopinke’s lab deals with defects in primary cilia can result in a wide range of diseases, referred to as “ciliopathies.”

The Law Lab researches mechanisms by which CDCP1 Promotes Breast Cancer Metastasis: The CDCP1 protein functions as a scaffold to bring together and facilitate synergy between the oncoproteins Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and the Src tyrosine kinase. 

The Moehle Lab is interested in understanding the physiological, circuitry, and behavioral changes that cause the motor and non-motor symptoms of movement disorders and then translate these findings into novel therapeutics for these disorders.

In the Oliveira Lab we are dedicated to understanding the brain’s pathogenic contribution to cardiopulmonary diseases, with a particular emphasis on pulmonary hypertension (PH). Our research aims to identify innovative therapeutic targets that could transform the treatment landscape for this debilitating condition.

The emphasis of the Russ lab is on developing innovative regenerative medicine approaches with a focus on understanding the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms resulting in autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) in humans.

Much of the Sweeney Lab’s research program is translational in focus, and has produced highly cited research on inherited forms of cardiovascular disease, and on the skeletal and cardiac aspects of muscular dystrophy. Currently the lab is focused on AAV gene therapy for animal models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and small molecule therapies to augment the gene therapy.

 The goals of our lab are to identify and map neuronal circuits that regulate dopamine signaling, motivation, movement and reward, by using state of the art tools such as viral tracing, opto/chemogenetics, fiber photometry, and operant behavioral conditioning.