Dissertation Project: Elucidating the Role of the Hypoxia Associated Factor in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Initiation
Undergraduate School: University of Sheffield, UK (MSc Biology); Universidad de Costa Rica (BSc Biology)
Faculty Mentor: Mei Koh
Dissertation Project: Investigating the Mechanisms Underlying the Impact of CYP2C8*3 Allele Expression on Asthma Symptom Control
Undergraduate School: Seton Hill University (BS Chemistry and Forensic Science)
Faculty Mentor: Christopher Reilly
Dissertation Project: Determining the role of E3 ubiquitin ligases during early development
Undergraduate School: University of Utah (BS Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology)
Faculty Mentor: Randall Peterson
Biomedical Engineering PhD Student
Dissertation Project:
Undergraduate School:
Faculty Mentor: Karen Wilcox
Dissertation Project:
Undergraduate School: University of Utah (PharmD, BS Chemistry)
Faculty Mentor: Cameron Metcalf
Neuroscience PhD Student
Dissertation Project: NG2 Glia in the Theiler's Murine Encephalomyelitis (TMEV) model of viral induced Epilepsy
Undergraduate School: SUNY New Paltz
Faculty Mentor: Karen Wilcox
Dissertation Project: Investigation of Drug-Drug and Drug-Circuit Interactions in Children on continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Undergraduate School: University of Minnesota (BSc Biology)
Faculty Mentor: Kevin Watt
NIDDK F31 Fellow
Dissertation Project: A pharmacokinetic and efficacy study of a relevant combination therapy in a mouse model of Dravet Syndrome
Undergraduate School: University of Ghana (MPhil; BSc Biochemistry)
Faculty Mentor: Karen Wilcox
Undergraduate School: University of Pavia, Italy (MS); University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy (BS)
Faculty Mentor: Marco Bortolato
Dissertation Project: Investigating the role of very-long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs) in age-related macular degeneration
Undergraduate School: The American University of Nigeria (BS Natural & Environmental Sciences)
Faculty Mentors: Paul S. Bernstein and Karen Wilcox
Dissertation Project: Determining the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of NMDAR hypofunction in development of cognitive impairment
Undergraduate School: Shahid Behesti University of Medical Sciences, Iran (MS Human Genetics); Kharazmi University, Iran (BS Cell and Molecular Biology)
Faculty Mentor: Randy Peterson
Dissertation Project: Coordinated Regulation of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin-1 and Vanilloid-3 in Lunch Epithelial Cell Damage and Repair Following Air Pollutant Exposure
Undergraduate School: University of Arizona (BS Biochemistry, BS Molecular and Cellular Biology)
Faculty Mentor: Christopher Reilly
Dissertation Project: The role of redox balance in cyanide toxicity and mitochondrial disease
Undergraduate School: University of Utah, BS ’19 Cell & Molecular Biology
Faculty Mentor: Randall Peterson
F31 Recipient
Undergraduate School: Utah Valley University (BS Behavioral Science)
Faculty Mentor: Marco Bortolato
Neuroscience PhD Student
Dissertation Project:
Undergraduate School:
Faculty Mentors: Kristen Keefe and Karen Wilcox
I am a postdoctoral research fellow in Dr. Karen Wilcox's lab with a background in glial biology, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering. I am currently investigating the mechanisms of microgliosis, microglial responses to damage cues and their alteration in epilepsy and health, using a mouse model of viral infection-induced epilepsy.
Post-Doc: Wilcox Lab
Phone: 305-799-7102
Office: SMBB 4800
Florida International University, PhD Biomedical Engineering
Contact
Post-Doc: Peterson Lab
Phone: 801-581-5775
Office: 3420 Skaggs
I am a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Wilcox's lab, fascinated by the role of inflammation in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. I use my training in immunology, virology, and neuroscience to understand how macrophage infiltration from the periphery to the CNS contributes to seizure development using a unique mouse model of viral-induced epilepsy.
I am also investigating the role of microbiota in seizure development following CNS viral infection.
Post-Doc: Wilcox Lab
Phone: 801-587-2522
Office: 4800 SMBB
NIH/NINDS K22 Awardee
CURE Taking Flight Awardee
Post-Doc: Winter Lab
Office: 3400 Skaggs Research Building
Post-Doc: Winter Lab
Office: 3400 Skaggs Research Building
I’m a behavioral pharmacologist and I have obtained my Ph.D. in Pharmacology in 2007 from the University of Cagliari, Italy.
During my over 10 years of scientific experience in the US, I focused my research on the characterization of the biological bases of neurodevelopmental disorders through the employment of behavioral tests in animal models, and on the characterization of biochemical and molecular mechanisms of psychoactive drugs acting at the level of the basal ganglia. I did my first postdoctoral at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA/IRP) working on the mechanisms of action of addictive drugs acting at the level of the basal ganglia. I have been mainly involved in projects examining functional and pharmacological significance of receptor heteromers, particularly the adenosine A2A receptor forming heteromers with the adenosine A1 receptor and D2 receptor, in animal models of drug abuse with different in vivo approaches.
My first experience at the Bortolato lab was in 2016 when I worked on a project for the identification of biomarkers and therapeutical targets for the prevention and treatment of pramipexole-increased risk-taking behaviors in a rodent animal model of gambling. From years 2020 to 2022 I combined research and teaching activities at PNU (Precarpathian National University) in Ukraine where I focused my research on the characterization of biochemical and molecular mechanisms of phytobiotic compounds on neurodevelopmental disorders in animal models of aging.
My current projects at the Bortolato’s lab are to examine the functional and pharmacological significance of neurosteroids using a 6-Hydroxy Dopamine (6-OHDA) animal model of neurotoxicity in animal models of Parkinson’s disease and to study the effects produced by brain-selective knock-down molecular constructs (KD) using viral approaches. The goal of this research is to clarify the role played by neurosteroids in the modulation of behavioral responses in animal models of PD.
Post-Doc: Bortolato Lab
Office: 28 Skaggs
Post-Doc: Peterson Lab
Phone: 801-581-6312
Office: 3420 Skaggs Research
Post-Doc: Wilcox Lab
Office: 4800 SMBB
Post-Doc: Reilly Lab
Phone: 801-587-8814
Office: 3861 Skaggs Research
Post-Doc: Winter Lab
Office: 3400 Skaggs Research Building
| Karen Acuna Pilarte | u0719082@utah.edu |
| Marysol Almestica-Roberts | m.almestica@utah.edu |
| Orlando Antelope | orlando.antelope@pharm.utah.edu |
| Laura Bell | laura.bell@utah.edu |
| Carena Cornelssen | carena.cornelssen@utah.edu |
| Min-Jee Goh | min-jee.goh@pharm.utah.edu |
| Qwynn Landfield | qwynn.landfield@utah.edu |
| Autumn McKnite | autumn.mcknite@neuro.utah.edu |
| Jeffrey Mensah | JeffreyAmoako.Mensah@utah.edu |
| Uzoamaka Nwagbo | u.nwagbo@utah.edu |
| Karen Odeh | karen.odeh@pharm.utah.edu |
| Simin Rahimi Aliabadi | simin.rahimialiabadi@hci.utah.edu |
| Samantha Serna | samantha.serna@utah.edu |
| Emily Tippetts | emily.tippetts@utah.edu |
| Easton Van Luik | easton.vanluik@utah.edu |
| Kaliana Veros | kaliana.veros@utah.edu |
| Lakshmini Balachandar, Ph.D. | lakshmini.balachandar@utah.edu |
| Zachary Brandt, Ph.D. | zachary.brandt@pharm.utah.edu |
| Ana Beatriz DePaula-Silva, Ph.D. | bea.silva@path.utah.edu |
| Stephanie (Billie) Heard, Ph.D. | stephanie.heard@utah.edu |
| Changshan Niu, Ph.D. | changshan.niu@utah.edu |
| Marco Orru, Ph.D. | marco.orru@utah.edu |
| Saba Parvez, Ph.D. | saba.parvez@pharm.utah.edu |
| Alexandra Petrucci, Ph.D. | |
| Lili Sun, Ph.D. | lili.sun@utah.edu |
| Peng Zhang, Ph.D. | u6024660@utah.edu |