My general area of expertise involves the physiology and function of the brain vasculature and the processes involved in the exchange of solutes and proteins between the brain and the periphery.  In particular, my research focuses on the role of genetic factors and cellular transport in the elimination of toxic proteins from the brain, and the contribution to the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).  For the last several years, I have been investigating the long-term effects of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) on certain cells associated with blood vessels in the brain, and their contribution to brain atrophy and inflammation following head trauma.