Welcome to the Brown Lab at the West Virginia University School of Medicine! We are members of of the Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, and Center for Basic and Translational Stroke Research, with a joint appointment in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology
The Brown laboratory studies brain-immune interactions that occur in acute and chronic systemic inflammation, with an emphasis on the brain-microvascular interface. Current studies address how brain microvascular endothelial cells integrate systemic and CNS inflammatory responses to maintain cerebral homeostasis through the enzyme tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP).
We combine animal models of ischemic stroke, sepsis, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with in vitro brain endothelial cell models to address our research questions. The goal of our research is to identify the short-term and long-term repercussions of acute systemic inflammatory conditions, including stroke, sepsis and AD, as well as uncover some of the sex-specific factors that contribute to neurological dysfunction and disease. Please peruse our recent publications to learn more about our exciting research!
Postdoctoral position available in stroke research! The research project will focus on brain and gut endothelial cell dysfunction in ischemic stroke. These studies will contribute to our lab’s overall goal of understanding the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) activity in the central and enteric nervous system. Please peruse our Research page on TNAP and the blood-brain barrier for additional background and relevant publications. Please contact Dr. Candice Brown for more information.
Lab News:
- Our research on sepsis, Alzheimer’s disease, and the gut-brain-microbiota axis was recently featured in a PacBio webinar on 8/19/2021.
- Our sepsis research on the gut microbiome was recently featured in a new Shoreline Biome webinar. (11/12/2020).
- Our stroke microbiome studies were recently featured on the website NeuroCentral
- Our microbiome work was recently featured in a webinar sponsored by Shoreline Biome.
- Check out the media coverage of our lab’s exciting work on sepsis and dementia, stroke and the gut microbiome, and sex differences. For more updates, please see our lab blog.
