Research Projects

If you're interested in participating as an undergraduate researcher in the Robel Lab, you will most likely be working on one of the two projects below. 

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Bench Work

 

Proper brain function is mediated by neurons and shaped by glial cells. Astrocytes are glial cells in the brain that have many roles during development and in the mature brain. Our lab studies the fascinating changes that astrocytes undergo in neurological disease or when the brain is injured by trauma. We ask how these changes affect astrocyte functions: (1) at the synapse where astrocytes are responsible for maintaining ion and neurotransmitter homeostasis, (2) at the network level - Do local changes in astrocyte function affect neuronal network function?, and (3) at the vasculature where astrocytes contribute to maintenance of the blood-brain barrier and regulation of blood flow. We study how cellular changes affect astrocyte physiology in the context of brain injury or disease and if these may contribute to neurodegeneration and dementia.

 

 

• Bench work includes, but is not limited to: 

  • tail lysis and genotyping

  • slicing, staining, and storing brains

  • animal work

  • participation in ongoing research projects once you are trained and are independent

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• Students will need proper training in all lab work tasks and must be available for a group training session held at the beginning of each semester on a Friday or Saturday