Ryan Camire and Stephanie Brule present at Society for Neuroscience NH Chapter

Ryan Camire (Nursing ‘15) and Stephanie Brule (Neuroscience ‘14), presented three posters with Colin Willis, assistant professor of pharmacology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and lab manager Holly Beaulac at the New Hampshire Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience meeting at Dartmouth on February 21, 2014. Students Brittney La Shier, Annie I. McGregor and Emily Lauria also contributed to the research.

The posters were:

Integrin receptor mediated oxidative stress modulates blood-brain barrier integrity.  Ryan B. Camire, Brittney La Shier, Holly J. Beaulac, Colin L. Willis.

Triptan-induced modulation of blood-brain barrier integrity: an in vitro study.  Stephanie A. Brule, Annie I. McGregor, Holly J. Beaulac, Colin L. Willis.

Migraine medication induces blood-brain barrier dysfunction.  Holly J. Beaulac, Stephanie A. Brule, Ryan B. Camire, Emily Lauria, Colin L. Willis.

All three posters investigated different parts of the same overarching questions that guide the research in Willis’ lab:  How is blood-brain barrier integrity regulated, and how does its dysfunction contribute to headache and neurodegenerative disease?

Understanding the mechanisms modulating blood-brain barrier integrity, both internally (oxidative stress) and externally (medication-mediated changes) can unravel novel approaches for preventing or treating chronic headache and possibly, the neuronal degeneration associated with diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

This research was supported in part by a SURE award from the College of Arts and Sciences (Stephanie Brule) and a WCHP summer stipend (Ryan Camire).

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