Forecasts Genetic Risk of Cancer

"Small intestine neuroendocrine tumors consist of enterochromaffin cells, which receive an input from the nervous system and secrete the hormone serotonin as a result. These tumors are dangerous, not only because of outcomes associated with cancer metastasis, but also their tendency to oversecrete serotonin. Our lab sequences genes that encode proteins and uses computational tools to find mutated genes in individuals with neuroendocrine tumors. We also use computational analyses, databases, and scientific literature to predict how those mutated genes may contribute to neuroendocrine tumor formation."

Regulates Cell Signals to Improve Memory

"The Fisher lab studies proteins involved in signaling within cells in humans, particularly in the brain. My project is to provide better understanding of how this signaling mediates exercise-induced adult neurogenesis (new neuron growth) in Alzheimer’s disease. By manipulating this cellular signaling and examining its impact on learning, memory, and pathological proteins, we hope to understand how neurogenesis impairment contributes to Alzheimer’s and help identify new therapeutic targets in this process and disease."

Protects the Brain After Trauma

"Our research focuses on the impacts that traumatic brain injury has on the brain and body. We study how these changes in the brain lead to large-scale changes in the immune system and what this means for predicting health outcomes after injury. Our goal is to develop effective strategies to mitigate the negative outcomes of these unfortunate events."

Appraises Unseen Cost of Mental Illness

"In Dr. McCleery’s lab, we study serious mental illness (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), and the factors that contribute to the social, occupational, and daily functioning in this clinical population. We use a variety of methods that allow us to study different aspects of one’s day-to-day life, including surveys and clinical interviews, performance-based tasks, and recording methods to measure biological signals, such as heart rate and brain activity. Overall, the goal is to better understand the development of serious mental illness and what we can do to better predict functional outcomes."

Studies Word Recognition in Bilinguals

"My research tries to understand how different groups of people recognize and process words or sentences. Some of our recent work has been trying to understand if bilinguals, across their lifetime, activate words from their second language when hearing or reading their first language, and vice versa. I am also interested in understanding surprisal and inhibitory mechanisms in language. My future research is focusing on understanding how the cognitive process of inhibition is an important aspect of language."

Tests Cognition in Cancer Patients

"I have trained extensively in neuropsychological testing administration, which involves assessments that evaluate aspects of cognition. I have also received certification for using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technology, which is a non-invasive brain stimulation method. We are looking to see if TMS can be used as a potential intervention for reducing cognitive deficits in patients with cancer (a pilot study)."

Links Nutrients to Evolution

"I study ecological constraints on genome size evolution. Organisms with relatively high nuclear DNA content (e.g., large genomes) need more of the nutrients that comprise DNA to grow and reproduce than organisms with small genomes. I am focusing on demand for the nutrient phosphorus because phosphorus is a major component of DNA and organisms are often limited in how much they can grow and reproduce by the availability of phosphorus. How demand for phosphorus influences the evolution of DNA and genomes, and why genome size and copy number is so variable, are key unanswered questions in biology."

Addresses Aftermath of Cancer Treatment

"Radiation therapy is a commonly used treatment for many patients with cancer. At its core, radiation will damage healthy and cancerous tissue alike, but little is known of the mechanism of this damage. My research studies the sequence of events that follow radiation therapy, in an attempt to benchmark the observed damage to better treat it."

Reveals Mechanisms of Brain Injury

"Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. Despite the high burden of disease, there are no neuroprotective therapies available to health care providers. Following injury, the brain has an inflammatory response. While controlled activation of the immune system can aid in the healing process, chronic unregulated immune activation can contribute to additional injury and worse outcomes for patients. My research aims to better understand the pathways that contribute to chronic neurotoxic inflammation in order to develop new effect treatments for traumatic brain injuries."

Deciphers Immune Signaling

"B cells are the type of immune cells that produce antibodies, and to do that, their B cell receptor must receive signals for activation and differentiation. One important player in B cell signaling is a protein called TRAF3 which, when absent, causes spontaneous development of autoimmune disease symptoms and B cell cancers. I am studying what happens when TRAF3 is simply decreased and not eliminated completely. Does it have the same effect as absent TRAF3, and how much TRAF3 is needed for normal functioning?"