GRADUATE STUDENTS
Dissertation Project: A pharmacokinetic and efficacy study of a relevant combination therapy in a mouse model of Dravet SyndromeDissertation Project: A pharmacokinetic and efficacy study of a relevant combination therapy in a mouse model of Dravet Syndrome.
Dravet Syndrome (DS) is a rare but catastrophic infantile-onset genetic epilepsy characterized by febrile and spontaneous seizures with significant comorbidities. The use of monotherapies do fail to provide adequate seizure control in patients; thus, combination therapies have become important. However, there is a limited understanding of drug-drug interactions of antiseizure polytherapy, impeding therapy decision-making. This study utilizes a DS mouse model and a standard-of-care therapeutic approach as a proof-of-principle study to provide an essential drug discovery platform to inform future preclinical studies for new investigational compounds.
Undergraduate School: University of Ghana (MPhil; BSc Biochemistry)
Faculty Mentor: Karen Wilcox, PhD
Dissertation Project: Development of focused ultrasound (FUS) approaches to modify neural circuits underlying seizures in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
Carena's research focuses on FUS, which is a promising noninvasive technology that can be used for therapeutic purposes by ablating tissue or modulating neural circuit function. FUS could be used to reduce seizure frequency for the one-third of people with drug-resistant epilepsy that may not opt for surgery or may not be a good candidate for surgery.
Undergraduate School: The Pennsylvania State University (BS Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management)
Faculty Mentor: Karen Wilcox, PhD
Dissertation: Changes in structure and function of NG2-Glia during viral encephalitis
Theiler’s Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus (TMEV) is used to model virally induced seizures and epilepsy in mice. NG2-glia, also known as oligodendrocyte precursor cells, may contribute to the clearance of virus from the brain and may also contribute to seizure burden during acute infection. I am studying the synapses formed between NG2-glia and neurons, as well as the phagocytic activity of NG2-glia, in response to TMEV infection.
Undergraduate School: SUNY New Paltz
Faculty Mentor: Karen Wilcox, PhD
POST DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
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
