Microglia, microbiota, and the social brain

The goal of our research is two-fold:

First, we aim to better understand the roles of microglia and microbiota in the organization of social circuits during brain development.

Second, we aim to understand how exposure to environmental and social stressors impacts the development of the social brain. This is critically important because environmental toxicant exposures, such as air pollution and pesticides, are inequitably distributed ~ with low-income and minority communities bearing the greatest burden.

Ultimately, we hope our work will identify underlying mechanisms and therapeutic targets for disorders characterized by changes in social behavior, such as autism spectrum disorders, and that it will contribute to climate change/environmental justice initiatives.