Current Research Description

My current research focus has been on studying how psychosocial stressors are perceived by the brain and subsequently affect gene expression in the immune, behavioral, and pain responses. Using a model of social defeat, in which aggressive interactions occur among stable cohorts of mice resulting is cutaneous wounding, we have shown that repeated defeat results in enhanced inflammatory responses, the development of anxiety-like behavior and increased pain sensitivity.  Recent studies are directed at identifying potential epigenetic mechanisms that modulate inflammatory responses.