I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine. My research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly the role of reactive astrocytes in neuroinflammation, synaptic remodeling, and neural repair following injury.
I received my Ph.D. in Neurotoxicology, where my research investigated the neurobehavioral and molecular effects of environmental toxicants such as bisphenol A using zebrafish models. This work provided insight into how environmental and physiological stressors affect brain development, oxidative stress pathways, and neurodegeneration.
Currently, my research aims to identify signaling pathways that regulate astrocyte activation and proliferation after brain injury. By studying mechanisms such as mTOR and PDGFRα signaling in reactive astrocytes, I seek to understand how these glial responses influence synaptic preservation and functional recovery after TBI. My long-term goal is to develop therapeutic strategies that harness endogenous repair mechanisms to improve outcomes after traumatic brain injury and other neurological disorders.
I have authored several peer-reviewed publications in neuroscience and neurotoxicology and remain committed to advancing research that bridges basic neuroscience and translational approaches for brain injury treatment.