The Stephens lab team is motivated by our ability to understand the basic mechanisms of disease in malaria and COVID-19 to reduce mortality and morbidity. Recent highlights include using basic immunology to prolong protection from malaria by vaccination, and understand regulation of cytokine production by T cells to improve B cell help and antibody production. Brain and Lung Histo-Pathology and functional assays, including intra-vital microscopy and electrophysiology, are the basis for our studies of the role of inflammation and coagulation in cerebral malaria and the cytokines regulating recovery in COVID-19. Our work focuses on cellular and host-pathogen interactions in these three models, and is expanding into new areas in neuro-immune cross-talk.
- Title
- Associate Professor and Director of Neuroinflammation
- Area of Study/Expertise
- Malaria; COVID-19
- spolaric@njms.rutgers.edu