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Karen Wilcox

Karen Wilcox

Professor and Chair

Professor and Chair, Pharmacology and Toxicology

Contact: karen.wilcox@hsc.utah.edu

Office: 201 Skaggs Hall

Education: 

  • B.A. 1981, Allegheny College

  • Ph.D. 1993, University of Pennsylvania

 

Research Interests

The Wilcox laboratory is interested in understanding basic mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis, seizure generation, and therapy-resistance to anticonvulsant drugs. To achieve these goals, we use electrophysiological, calcium imaging, pharmacological, behavioral, genetic, immunoblot, and immunohistochemical techniques in a variety of in vitro preparations and animal models of epilepsy. Our working hypothesis is that insight into disease-induced changes in neuronal and glial function will provide new avenues for therapeutic interventions in patients at risk for developing epilepsy or those patients who are refractory to current treatment options. To that end, I am also the Director the Anticonvulsant Development (ADD) Program and evaluate proprietary investigational compounds through a contract with NINDS at the National Institutes of Health to determine antiseizure and disease modifying potential.

Green Stuff

Karen Wilcox lab - Graduate Students

Ashley Zachery-Savella

MD / PhD Program, Neuroscience PhD Program

Karen Wilcox Lab

Research Interests: Seizure Dynamotypes, Pharmacology in Epilepsy, Epilepsy Animal Models, Clinical Epilepsy

Undergraduate School: University of Maryland, College Park

Jeffrey Mensah

Pharmacology & Toxicology PhD Program

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)

2022-2023 Gehlert Fellow

2021-2022 Skaggs Fellow

Linked In

Kaliana Veros

Neuroscience PhD Program

Faculty Mentors: Kristen Keefe and Karen Wilcox

Carena Cornelssen

Biomedical Engineering PhD Program

NSF GRFP Fellow

Biomedical Engineering Student

 

Laura Bell

Neuroscience PhD Program

2021 DSPAN Recipient  [cohort 8]

2018 NSF GRFP

 

Qwynn Landfield

Neuroscience PhD Program

Research: NG2 Glia in the Theiler's Murine Encephalomyelitis (TMEV) model of viral induced Epilepsy

Undergraduate School:  SUNY New Paltz

 

Post Doctoral Researchers

Ana Beatriz de Paula-Silva (Bea), PhD

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

 

Daria Anderson, PhD

 

 

Lakshmini Balachandar (Mini), PhD

 

 

Alexandra Petrucci, PhD

 

 

Lauren Buxton

Lab Specialist

E. Jill Dahle

Lab Manager