Dr. Yuri Persidsky's lab focuses on how substances like alcohol and electronic cigarettes can damage the blood-brain barrier and lung functions. They study what happens at the cellular level during this damage and explore potential therapeutic interventions. Their work is crucial for understanding the long-term effects of these substances, particularly in adolescents, who are significant users of e-cigarettes.

Dr. Mary F. Barbe's lab explores the causes and recovery strategies for musculoskeletal injuries that arise from repetitive overuse. The research focuses on how factors such as sleep quality, inflammation, and fibrosis (scar tissue formation) contribute to pain and dysfunction, particularly as these factors may differ with age and between sexes. The lab tests non-pharmacological interventions like improved sleep and aerobic exercise to see how they can aid recovery in rat models of injury.