Virginia Commonwealth University · NeuroscienceLafrenaye Lab
Audrey D Lafrenaye · Richmond, Virginia
Research Focus
Dr. Audrey D. Lafrenaye's lab at Virginia Commonwealth University focuses on understanding how brain injury affects neuroinflammatory responses, specifically through the actions of microglia, the brain's immune cells. The lab uses higher-order mammals, like micro pigs, to study microglial behaviors and their potential effects on brain recovery. This research aims to improve our understanding of traumatic brain injury and guide the development of effective treatments for patients suffering from such injuries.
microgliatraumatic brain injuryneuroinflammationprocess convergenceaxonal recoverysex differenceshigher-order mammalsclinical translationthalamic pathology
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the role of microglial process convergence following brain injury in higher-order mammals.
AIM 02Evaluate inflammatory and P2Y12R modulation effects on neuronal survival after traumatic brain injury.
AIM 03Assess the prevalence of microglial process convergence in human brain tissue post-injury.
AIM 04Study sex differences in microglial responses and axonal outgrowth.
AIM 05Explore therapeutic strategies for treatment of traumatic brain injury based on findings.
Skills the Lab Values
3D imagingimmunohistochemistrycell cultureanimal models (micro pigs)RNA analysisco-culture techniquesdata collectionmultiplexed biomarker analysisneuroscience techniquesquantitative analysis
Output against the department
Publications44bottom 9% of dept.610th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations795bottom 4% of dept.647th of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.