Stress, Neuroinflammation, and the Aging Brain

The Evans Lab investigates how stress and lifestyle factors impact neuroinflammation, behavior, and neuronal vulnerability during aging and neurodegeneration. Focusing on brain circuits regulated by the locus coeruleus noradrenergic  system governing arousal, attention, learning, memory, and emotion, the lab combines behavioral studies with molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience approaches, including neuropharmacology, transgenic models, microbiology techniques, circuit tracing, and advanced imaging. The lab aims to identify mechanisms of selective neuronal vulnerability that can inform strategies for healthy aging and treating neurodegenerative disease while providing students with broad interdisciplinary research training.