Research Disciplines: Neuroscience; Neuroimmunology; Glial Biology; Developmental neurobiology

Research Interests: Gliovascular structure and function; Seizures and epilepsy; Neurodevelopment; Neurodegeneration

Research Description: Research in the Eyo Lab is focused on understanding microglial contributions in three research arms: (1) neural injury, (2) neuro-glio-vascular cell-cell interactions & function, plus (3) sexually dimorphic cell and animal behaviors. Our research is performed with a dual focus on (a) physiology and (b) pathology. In physiology, we seek to understand (i) developmental mechanisms as well as (ii) mechanisms employed in maturity in the above research arms and believe that this can inform our understanding of aberrations that occur in pathology. The pathological contexts of our investigations include mouse models of seizure disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and Alzheimer’s Disease. To accomplish our research goals, we employ a wide range of experimental approaches in a highly collaborative and diverse research environment. Our research approaches include in vivo and ex vivo two-photon live acute and chronic imaging, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, transcriptional assessments by RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, laser speckle imaging, animal models of seizures using transgenic mouse models. Our research is conducted by an intentionally international team of passionate scientists including a Principal Investigator (Dr. Ukpong Eyo), several postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, laboratory technicians, undergraduate students and high school affiliates. Our team members come from different ethnic ancestries on four continents, have a wealth of prior training in various academic disciplines and have rich aspirations for their future careers.

Selected Publications [10]: 

1.    Gibbs-Shelton S, Benderoth J, Gaykema RP, Straub J, Okojie KA, Uweru JO, Lentferink DH, Rajbanshi B, Cowan MN, Patel B, Campos-Salazar AB, Perez-Reyes E, Eyo UB. Microglia play beneficial roles in multiple experimental seizure models (2023). GLIA. Mar 23. doi: 10.1002/glia.24364. 

2.    Lukens, JR, Eyo UB (2022). Microglia and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. Apr 18; doi: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-110920-023056. 

3.    Mills, WA III, Woo AM, Jiang S, Martin J, Surendran D, Bergstresser M, Kimbrough IF, Eyo UB, Sofroniew MV, Sontheimer H (2022). Astrocyte plasticity in mice ensures continued endfoot coverage of cerebral blood vessels following injury and declines with age. Nature Communications. Apr 4;13(1):1794. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29475-2. 

4.    Bisht K, Okojie. KA, Sharma K, Lentferink DH, Sun YY, Chen HR, Uweru JO, Amancherla S, Calcuttawala Z, Campos-Salazar AB, Corliss B, Jabbour L, Benderoth J, Friestad B, Mill WA III, Isakson BE, Tremblay MÈ, Kuan CY, Eyo UB (2021). Capillary-associated microglia regulate vascular structure and function through PANX1-P2RY12 coupling. Nature Communications. Sep 6;12(1):5289. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-25590-8.

5.    Eyo, UB, Haruwaka K, Mo, Mingshu, Campos-Salazar AB, Wang L, Speros IV XS, Sabu S, Xu P, Wu, LJ (2021). Microglia provide structural resolution to injured dendrites after severe seizures. Cell Reports. May 4;35(5):109080. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109080.

6. Badimon A., Strasburger HJ, Ayata P, Chen X, Nair A, Ikegami A, Hwang P, Chan AT, Graves SM, Uweru JO, Ledderose C, Kutlu MG, Wheeler MA, Kahan A, Ishikawa M, Wang Y-C, Y-HE Loh, Jiang JX, Surmeler DJ, Robson SC, Junger WG, Sebra R, Calipari ES, Kenny PJ, Eyo UB, Colonna M, Quintana FJ, Wake H, Gradinaru V and Schaefer A. Negative feedback control of neuronal activity by microglia. Nature. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2777-8

7. Eyo UB, Bispo A, Liu J, Sabu S, Wu Rong, DiBona VL, Zhang H, Tang Y, Wu LJ (2018). The GluN2A Subunit Regulates Neuronal NMDA receptor-Induced Microglia- Neuron Physical Interactions. Sci Rep. Jan 16;8(1):828. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018- 19205-4.

8. Eyo UB, Miner SA, Weiner JA, Dailey ME (2016). Developmental changes in microglial mobilization are independent of apoptosis in the neonatal mouse hippocampus. Brain Behav. Immun., Jul; 55: 49-59. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.11.009.

9. Eyo UB, Gu N, De S, Dong H, Richardson JR, Wu LJ (2015). Modulation of Microglial Process Convergence towards Neuronal Dendrites by Extracellular Calcium. Journal of Neuroscience. Feb 11; 35(6): 2417-2422. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3279-14.2015.

10. Eyo UB, Peng J, Przemyslaw S, Mukherjee A, Bispo A, Wu LJ (2014). Neuronal Hyperactivity Recruits Microglial Processes via Neuronal NMDA Receptors and Microglial P2Y12 Receptors after Status Epilepticus. Journal of Neuroscience. Aug 6;34 (32): 10528-10540. 
 doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0416-14.2014