Our Approach
In all our projects, we embrace a translational research approach in which we primarily focus on the study of humans and analysis of human cohort data. We complement this work to test causal mechanistic hypotheses using molecular, cell-culture, behavioral, and computational research methods. For more comprehensive and/or detailed description of our research, we welcome you to explore our publication page.聽 Thanks for reading and stay tuned for updates!
As shown, we perform human cohort, animal model, and cell culture/molecular based studies and experiments. In human studies, we collaborate with Dr. Samuel McLean in the Institute for Trauma Recovery to study multi-ethnic women and men following traumatic stress exposure. More than 6,500 participants have been enrolled in these studies to date. Individuals are enrolled in the early aftermath of trauma exposure at Emergency Rooms or in other emergency care settings and are followed for the course of a year. Our lab has led the biological sample collection, processing, and analysis for these studies which includes multi-omic layered data for a large subset of the enrolled participants. In addition to our work on these human cohort studies, we also perform parallel animal model and molecular/cell culture studies in which we conduct experiments that aren鈥檛 feasible in human populations. For example, we assess whether promising therapeutic compounds are effective at reducing pain-like behavior. We are also able to assess mechanisms that require manipulation of the system and/or assessment of pathogenic mediators in specific tissues.