University of Maryland, Baltimore · PharmacologyMccarthy Neuroinflammation Lab
Margaret M. Mccarthy · Baltimore, Maryland
Research Focus
Dr. Margaret M. McCarthy's lab studies how inflammation in the brain during development affects mental health, particularly in males. By investigating the different populations of mast cells in the brain, the lab seeks to understand their roles during critical periods of brain development and how they interact with other brain cells. This research aims to identify new ways to prevent or treat neurodevelopmental disorders, especially those linked to early life inflammation.
neuroinflammationbrain developmentmast cellsneurodevelopmental disorderssex differencesepigeneticscritical periodsimmune responsesynaptic development
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the origin of mast cells in the developing brain.
AIM 02Assess the regulatory mechanisms behind mast cell differentiation in brain regions.
AIM 03Evaluate the functional effects of mast cells on neighboring brain cells during development.
Skills the Lab Values
brain tissue analysisanimal modelsimmunohistochemistrymolecular biology techniquescell cultureflow cytometrygene expression profilingin vivo imagingdata interpretation
Output against the department
Publications401top 16% of dept.72nd of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations23ktop 13% of dept.62nd of 462
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.