Science
Step by step deciphering the brain
Main focus
My research is centered around the neurophysiology of the brain, with a particular focus on how oxygen is distributed and regulated in the cerebral cortex — and what happens when that regulation fails in disease.
Using innovative fluorescent oxygen biosensors (GeNL) to study oxygen distribution and hypoxic pockets within the living, awake brain. Development of new imaging methodologies with superior spatiotemporal resolution.
The brain holds virtually no oxygen reserves, so its energy metabolism depends on a continuous supply. I study how cortical oxygen availability shapes metabolic demand and neuronal function — and how transient shortfalls in oxygen affect brain physiology.
Developing and applying new genetically encoded biosensors for in vivo imaging — including oxygen sensors and lactate biosensors — to understand physiological processes in the brain.
Studying cerebral oxygen alterations with aging and in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Expanding our understanding of how hypoxia and disrupted oxygen delivery contribute to neurodegeneration.
Unraveling the subarachnoid lymphatic-like membrane (SLYM) — a novel meningeal layer — and its role in cerebrospinal fluid flow, immune cell trafficking, and the exchange of solutes between CSF and venous blood.
Elaborating on the mechanisms of molecular exchange across the blood-CSF barrier using transcranial bioluminescence imaging in live mice.
Network
As a member of the Maiken Nedergaard Lab at the Center for Translational Neuromedicine, my research benefits from an exceptional network of collaborators, state-of-the-art facilities, and extensive resources spanning neuroscience, imaging, and translational medicine.