Exciting New Researchers, Research Projects and Proposals
Dr. Bryn A. Martin and Dr. Francis Loth
Dr. Bryn Martin is currently a scientific collaborator in the Laboratory of Hemodynamics and Cardiovascular Technology at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland working under the direction of Prof. Nikolaos Stergiopulos. His research interest is in biofluid mechanics and biomechanics, and more specifically in craniospinal hydrodynamics and pathologies of the cerebrospinal fluid system (CSF) and cranial blood flow. Dr. Martin's thesis work focused on a pathology of the CSF system called syringomyelia and was conducted under the direction of Dr. Francis Loth at the University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Akron Biofluids Laboratory. Dr. Martin is also active in medtech R&D and technology transfer.
Genetic Dissection of Chiari Type I Malformation (Grant Proposal)
Christina Ann Markunas
Christina Markunas received a BS in Biological Sciences and a minor in Genetics from North Carolina State University in 2006. While an undergraduate, she was a student intern at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Following graduation, she began a human genetics postbaccalaureate IRTA research fellowship at the NIEHS for a little over a year prior to entering the University Program in Genetics and Genomics at Duke University. Currently, Christina is a third year PhD student conducting research at the Duke Center for Human Genetics under the mentorship of Drs. Allison Ashley-Koch and Simon Gregory. Her training has been focused in both genetic epidemiology and molecular genetics. For her doctoral dissertation, she will focus on dissection of the genetic basis of Chiari Type I Malformation (CMI). Christina and colleagues will perform a genome-wide linkage screen using CMI families to identify regions of the genome likely to harbor CMI susceptibility genes. In addition, she will use genomic and statistical approaches in order to gain a better understanding of the clinical, radiological, and genetic factors that contribute to variation in disease presentation.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Laboratory Wiki Page
The Cerebrospinal Fluid Laboratory is dedicated to investigation of the underlying biomechanical and hydrodynamic mechanisms responsible for pathologies of the cerebrospinal and cerebrovascular systems.
Purpose
1. Foster collaboration and discussion between cerebrospinal fluid and cerebrovascular researchers
2. Provide in vivo and in vitro experimental data to computational researchers
3. Increase interest in cerebrospinal fluid and craniospinal disorder research
