The research of Dr. Abbruscato's Lab includes approaches to understand the mechanisms by which the neurovascular unit responds to brain ischemia with respect to transport protein expression, cell-cell interactions, and the transport of drugs, ions and nutrients that are vital for brain recovery after stroke. We utilize a variety of in vitro blood-brain barrier models to both measure drug and nutrient uptake/transport and to characterize the mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the paracellular barrier during pathophysiologic states. The overall goal of our lab is to make significant preclinical discoveries that will translate clinically to novel treatment options for stroke patients, which unfortunately to this date do not have many viable therapeutic options to improve brain recovery after stroke.
Interests
- Diabetes
- Stroke
Pharmacy Research Interests
- blood-brain barrier (BBB)
- brain drug transport
- drug delivery
- drug discovery
- opioid receptors
- stroke
- stroke neuroprotection