Dr. Rajesh Narendran's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding the interactions between stress, neuropeptides, and addiction. The research aims to uncover how certain brain systems, like the nociceptin opioid peptide receptor system, influence relapse in alcohol and cocaine use disorders. By using advanced imaging techniques, the lab investigates how these systems respond to stress and how they can potentially be targeted for therapeutic interventions in addiction.

Dr. Bistra Iordanova's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how brain metabolism relates to cognitive function, particularly in aging and Alzheimer's disease. They use advanced imaging techniques to study the interactions between neurons and their supporting cells, aiming to uncover how metabolic changes affect brain health. Their research could lead to new strategies for early diagnosis and treatment of cognitive decline.

Dr. Christopher J. Bakkenist's lab focuses on understanding how certain cancer treatments can inadvertently affect the immune system. Specifically, they study how deoxyuridine, a byproduct of chemotherapy, impacts the way the body's immune system recognizes and responds to DNA contamination. This research aims to uncover mechanisms that may enhance the effectiveness of cancer therapies and improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Xinyan Tracy Cui's lab focuses on understanding the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on cognitive and emotional functions. Using cutting-edge technology, the lab develops flexible neural probes that can monitor brain activity and neurotransmitter levels over time. By investigating how TBI impacts dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission, the lab aims to uncover mechanisms underlying cognitive-affective symptoms and enhance treatment strategies for TBI patients.

Dr. Kurt E. Beschorner's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on improving safety in the food service industry, particularly by preventing slip and fall accidents through better footwear technology. The lab develops tools to help workers choose the right shoes and determine when to replace them, based on new research about shoe-floor interactions. By gathering data on how different shoes perform in various working conditions, the lab aims to enhance safety practices and ultimately reduce injuries for food service workers.

Dr. Joel S. Greenberger's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on innovative approaches to protect against radiation injuries, particularly the acute gastrointestinal syndrome caused by total body or partial body irradiation. The lab is pioneering the use of engineered probiotics to deliver therapeutic molecules that restore intestinal health and promote recovery. Their work aims to develop safe and effective treatments that could be used in emergency situations, such as nuclear accidents or cancer therapies.

Dr. Takashi Daniel Yoshida Kozai's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on advancing technologies for brain stimulation and understanding brain responses to chronic implants. The lab is working on innovative electrode designs that aim to enhance the precision of stimulating brain cells, which could improve treatments for neurological disorders. Additionally, the research investigates how specific brain cells called oligodendrocytes affect the performance of brain implants over time, aiming to gain insights that could benefit both basic neuroscience and clinical applications.

Dr. Charles Laymon's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how the aging brain clears waste, particularly beta-amyloid, which is linked to Alzheimer's disease. The lab investigates the role of various physiological systems, such as the efflux pump at the blood-brain barrier and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, in maintaining brain health. Their research aims to identify early changes that could indicate Alzheimer's risk, ultimately seeking therapeutic targets to prevent the disease.

Dr. Neeraj J Gandhi's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how our brains process and respond to moving targets, particularly how we accurately intercept them with our eye movements. By studying the complex neural mechanisms involved in oculomotor control, the lab aims to uncover important insights into neurological disorders that affect eye movements and motor coordination. This research has potential implications for diagnosing and treating conditions like mild traumatic brain injury and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr. Nadine Hempel's lab focuses on understanding ovarian cancer, particularly how cancer cells respond to losing contact with their surroundings and how this affects their ability to spread (metastasize). They study a specific protein, RHOV, which plays a critical role in these processes and could be a target for new treatments. By identifying key genes and their signaling pathways, the lab aims to develop precision medicine strategies to improve survival rates for ovarian cancer patients.

Dr. Sarah Kolibash Royse's research lab focuses on understanding the role of white matter injury in Alzheimer's disease. By investigating how this injury interacts with neurotoxic proteins and cognitive function, the lab aims to identify novel treatment targets that could improve prevention and treatment strategies for Alzheimer's. The lab utilizes advanced neuroimaging techniques and extensive patient data to explore these complex relationships.

Dr. Helen Schwerdt's lab focuses on understanding how dopamine plays a role in learning from rewards and punishments, which is essential for behaviors ranging from simple tasks to more complex cognitive functions. By developing advanced tools to measure dopamine levels in the brain, particularly in monkeys, the research aims to explore how different types of feedback affect learning processes. This work could have significant implications for treating Parkinson's disease and related disorders that impact these learning mechanisms.

Dr. Richard E. Debski's lab focuses on understanding and improving exercise therapy for individuals with rotator cuff tears, particularly in older adults. Their research investigates how personalized exercise programs can help restore shoulder function and prevent the need for surgery, aiming to enhance patient outcomes and develop effective clinical guidelines for treatment. By analyzing biomechanical and clinical factors over time, the lab seeks to create individualized rehabilitation strategies for better long-term results.

Dr. Jing Hong Wang's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how head and neck cancer that is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) responds to immunotherapy. The team studies the immune system's reaction to HPV antigens and how different T cell receptors impact treatment effectiveness. Their research aims to improve therapies for patients with HPV-positive cancers by exploring the mechanisms driving treatment resistance and response.

Dr. Riyue Bao's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how certain tumors evade immune therapy, particularly in head and neck cancer. By investigating the role of a specific molecular target, p38 MAPK, the lab aims to improve cancer treatments. Using advanced techniques and large patient data sets, the research seeks to establish new therapeutic strategies that could help re-engage the immune system against tumors.

Dr. Sina Tavakoli's lab focuses on improving the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, especially those related to inflammation and fibrosis. The lab is exploring innovative imaging techniques to assess immune responses in the lungs, particularly looking at a specific protein (CMKLR1) that is crucial in these diseases. By developing new molecular imaging tools, the lab aims to offer better precision in tracking disease progression and responses to treatments, ultimately enhancing patient care.

Dr. Aaron Paul Batista's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how the brain controls movement and how memories related to motor skills are formed and stored. By using brain-computer interfaces, the lab investigates the dynamics of neural population activity during tasks involving memory and movement, with the goal of developing new therapeutic strategies for stroke recovery and cognitive enhancement. Their research aims to provide better treatment options for neurological disorders through innovative tools that adjust neural patterns in real-time.

Dr. Heath Devin Skinner's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on improving treatment outcomes for head and neck cancer, particularly by understanding how the protein p16 influences cancer cell responses to radiation therapy. Their research aims to identify molecular pathways that can lead to better precision medicine approaches, helping to determine which patients are likely to respond to specific treatments. By using advanced models and innovative techniques, the lab hopes to enhance therapeutic strategies and improve the quality of life for cancer survivors.

David Vorp's lab focuses on innovative approaches to regenerative medicine, using advanced techniques to attach extracellular vesicles (EVs) to biomaterials like silk for tissue repair. Their research aims to harness these natural signals from stem cells to improve healing and support the development of new treatments for chronic wounds and other medical applications. By collaborating with industry partners, they aim to make these technologies more accessible for clinical use.

Dr. Gelsy Torres-Oviedo's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how cognitive factors influence walking, especially in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's Disease. They investigate how gait—the way we walk—changes when our brains need to pay attention, and how this might indicate risks for cognitive decline. By studying the underlying brain mechanisms involved, the lab aims to improve early detection of Alzheimer's and related conditions.