Please note the location change to the Knight Campus Beetham Family Seminar Room and earlier pre-seminar reception start time of 3:30 p.m. for this week's seminar.
From the sky bridge, cross to Knight Campus and take either the stairs of elevator to the first floor (street level). The seminar room will be to the left, and the reception will be just outside of the room.
My lab aims to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the sensations of itch, touch, and pain. Humans rely on these senses for a broad range of essential behaviors. For example, acute pain acts as a warning signal that alerts us to noxious mechanical, chemical, and thermal stimuli, which can potentially damage tissue. Likewise, itch sensations trigger reflexes that may protect us from disease-carrying insects. Despite these essential protective functions, itch and pain can outlast their usefulness and become chronic diseases. We use cellular physiology, molecular biology, molecular genetics, and behavioral studies to elucidate the mechanisms underlying itch and pain transduction under normal and pathophysiological conditions. This talk will highlight the interactions between the nervous system and immune system that promote chronic itch, pain, and inflammation.