Research/Areas of Interest:
Cation-chloride cotransporters are integral for mediating fast synaptic GABAergic inhibition. More specifically, K-Cl cotransporters (KCCs) have been identified as key therapeutic targets for several neurological disorders including epilepsy and neuropathic pain. My current research investigates differential expression patterns of KCCs in neuronal subpopulations with an aim to identify specific mechanisms by which these proteins are regulated. For further analysis of the KCC subtypes and their localization, I am utilizing techniques in electrophysiology and immunochemistry, and unique conditional knockout models generated in our lab. My goal is to provide novel insight into the possible relationship between cell type specific mechanisms of ionic regulation of GABAergic inhibition and their selective vulnerability related to aging and dementia.
Education
BS, Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
PhD, Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA