Lee A. Shapiro, PhD
Associate Professor
Contact
Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics
8447 John Sharp Pkwy
2006 Medical Research and Education Building
Bryan,
TX
77807
lshapiro@tamu.edu
Phone: tel:979.436.0272
Fax: 979.436.0086
Biography
Dr. Shapiro received his PhD in neuroscience from the State University of New York, Stony Brook, under the mentorship of Dr. Patricia Whitker-Azmitia. His dissertation involved looking at serotonergic, neuroimmune and neuropathological influences in Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease, specifically focusing on the role of S100 beta. After receiving his PhD, Dr. Shapiro went to the University of California, Irvine, to do postdoctoral research under the guidance of Dr. Charles Ribak. Dr. Shapiro honed his neuroanatomical and microscopy skills under the guidance of Dr. Ribak while describing neuronal and glial changes in models of epilepsy. During his postdoctoral studies, Dr. Shapiro also pioneered several unique aspects of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus and in other cortical regions. After completing his fellowship, Dr. Shapiro came to the Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine and established his own lab and is further pursuing studies involving epilepsy, trauma and other neurodegenerative disorders.Research Interests
- Dr. Shapiro's lab focuses on neuroanatomical, neuropathological, neuroimmune and peripheral contributions to traumatic brain injury (TBI), epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. In this context, the lab uses advanced microscopic and other imaging techniques to assess the efficacy of immune and neuroimmune therapeutic strategies on neurobehavioral outcomes, including depression and cognitive impairment, both of which are hallmarks of TBI and Alzheimer's disease. The lab also examines endogenous stem cells and their response to TBI and potential beneficial and pathological effects of these stem cells. To further enhance their ability to identify and therapeutically target potential disease mechanisms, they incorporate electrophysiological strategies for their investigations. The lab has identified numerous novel pathogenic mechanisms and has published extensively on these topics.
- Because about 3 million people experience a TBI in the United States each year, and because TBI leads to a 2.3-4.5-fold increase in the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, a major focus of the lab is to elucidate therapeutic mechanisms that can be targeted to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease. There are many immune, neuroimmune and neuroanatomical similarities between TBI and Alzheimer's disease, and elucidating dual targets for both disorders is a major goal of the lab. Importantly, it is becoming very clear that organ systems outside of the brain, namely the gastrointestinal system, are involved in the pathogenic processes of TBI and Alzheimer's disease. Thus, an area of their research focuses specifically on the gut and gut/brain/immune interactions to identify novel therapeutic strategies.
- The lab also uses epilepsy and post-traumatic epilepsy models to examine changes in the brain that contribute to the development of seizures and epilepsy after precipitating brain or immune insults. The lab also utilizes models of military illness to assess similar links to neuroimmune, peripheral immune and peripheral organ contributions. Finally, the lab is intensively involved in exploring and elucidating the peripheral/brain axis and how the brain and body interact to improve or exacerbate outcome measures. These studies include the gut but also other peripheral organs such as the spleen, the heart, the lungs and the lymphatic system.
- Dr. Shapiro is committed to training the next generation of scientists through undergraduate, graduate, medical and postdoctoral programs.
- Research in the lab is supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC), the Department of Defense (DOD) Peer-Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program, the DOD Toxic Exposures Research Program and generous support from the Woodnext Foundation.