Research Activities:

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) participation in risk for, resistance to, and potential treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)

Current research is focused on assessing the effects of AD on BBB function, determining levels and activity of BBB-associated proteins. The lab is particularly interested in active transport of small molecules, peptides, and proteins. We use isolated capillaries, animal models, and human samples to investigate both potentially pathological effects and reversing these effects with novel and approved pharmaceuticals.

PI: Anika Hartz

co-I Bjoern Bauer, Added on MCC cluster on 02/08/2023

Research Analyst Rebecca Smith

Senior Laboratory Technician Amy Joubert

Data Scientist Bryan Maloney, Added on MCC cluster on 02/08/2023

Students

Post-Docs:

Geetika Nehra

Wijitra Chumboatong

Effects of synthetic estrogens, including bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol F (BPF), on the BBB

In this project, we measure long-term effects of bisphenol exposure on BBB function and its consequences on cognition in animal models.

PI: Anika Hartz

co-I Bjoern Bauer

Research Analyst Rebecca Smith

Senior Laboratory Technician Amy Joubert

Data Scientist Bryan Maloney

Students:

Post-Docs

Geetika Nehra

Wijitra Chumboatong

Blood-brain barrier dysfunction in epilepsy

PI: Bjoern Bauer

co-I Anika Hartz

Research Analyst Rebecca Smith

Senior Laboratory Technician Amy Joubert

Data Scientist Bryan Maloney

Students

Post-Docs

Leila Simanijoni

Graduate Students

Jasmine Perdeh

Shimaa Alzgool

Cannabidiol (CBD) effect on the BBB in epilepsy

We use CBD to determine its therapeutic benefit on BBB dysfunction in epilepsy using animal models. The goal is to establish preclinical evidence that will allow later clinical translation.

PI: Bjoern Bauer

co-I Anika Hartz

Research Analyst Rebecca Smith

Senior Laboratory Technician Amy Joubert

Data Scientist Bryan Maloney

Students

Jasmine Perdeh

Modification of BBB to treat glioblastoma

The purpose of this project is to overcome the BBB and improve anti-cancer drug uptake into the brain.

PI: Bjoern Bauer

co-I Anika Hartz

Research Analyst Rebecca Smith

Senior Laboratory Technician Amy Joubert

Data Scientist Bryan Maloney

MD/PhD Candidate: Louis Rodgers

Computational methods

The most intensive method needed for current studies is model selection/creation, which requires the comparison of multiple nested candidate models from data with thousands of entries. To improve rigor, we have implemented mixed-level analyses, which allows us to explicitly account for intra-subject variation, but this can be computationally intensive. In addition, we will be performing our own PK/PD calculations in our work and have begun structural ligand-receptor analysis from molecular data files.

Software (potentially for all projects)

R (https://www.r-project.org/)

Phoenix WinNonlin with NMLE (https://www.certara.com/software/phoenix-winnonlin/)

ClusPro (https://cluspro.bu.edu/)

PyMol (https://pymol.org/2/)

Grants

Publications

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