Neurodegenerative Diseases
The majority of neurodegenerative diseases are sporadic (not inherited), with no specific genetic mutations demonstrated. It is increasingly accepted that neurodegenerative diseases are multifactorial debilitating disorders driven by aging and dysfunction in many cellular components.
We are interested in understanding how dynamic interactions among multiple neuroimmune components mediate the transition from normal brain function (cognitively normal) to neurodegenerative conditions (cognitively impaired). Currently our research focuses on the vascular component. We hypothesize that targeting the vascular component may be able to not only reduce the risk of developing neurodegeneration, but potentially slow down pathologic progression.