Lab Notes

The figure’s x-axis compares two subpopulations of microglia cells (the brain’s ‘waste disposal team’.) One group causes inflammation; the other group repairs damage. The figure’s y-axis shows that the T-cell receptor signaling pathway (a known major immune-regulatory mechanism) is significantly more active in the blue cells repairing damaged tissue. On the other hand, the immune system is relatively suppressed in the red cells causing inflammation.

Brain’s Garbage Collectors May be to Blame in Alzheimer’s

Instead of being the primary cause of the disease, perhaps the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer’s are a symptom

A health care worker wearing blue rubber gloves draws a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe.

The Stronger the Side Effects, the Longer Lasting the Vax

'Prior infection with COVID meant you were more likely to have a sustained immune response'

Depressed senior man sitting on the hospital bed alone at night, he feels lonely and abandoned.

Mitochondria Linked to Major Depression in Older Adults

'One problem feeds into another, and make what began as a small issue into a much larger one'

A still life photo of a petri dish on top of an illustration of the human body. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

The Heart of the Matter: New Drug Reduces Inflammation During Coronary Catheterization

UConn Assistant Professor of Immunology Zhichao Fan and his collaborators were exploring a treatment for one condition when they happened on an entirely new use of the white-blood cell-inhibiting drug

Mapping Center cells

UConn Center on Aging to Transform our Understanding of Cellular Senescence in Human Aging with NIH-Funded Tissue Mapping Center Discoveries

The journal Nature Aging has highlighted the new NIH-funded SenNet Consortium that includes an NIH Common Fund U54 Tissue Mapping Center at UConn Health/JAX to better understand senescent cells which underlie aging and chronic disease development.

Dr. Erica Chen presents a poster

Uncovering Brain Cancer’s Molecular Signature

UConn Health, The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine among few in the world able to analyze tumors with elite precision

Aging, Frailty, and our Microbiomes: UConn Health/JAX Study Findings in Nature Aging

Study shows our microbiomes—the trillions of microbes that live on and within us—play central roles in our health and susceptibility to different diseases. And as we age, our microbiomes change too, with important health implications over time.

Military Service Has Transgenerational Impact Study Shows

Despite socioeconomic advantages, children of veteran families were found to have higher rates of clinically-recognized externalizing conditions and adverse childhood experiences. The collaborative study findings by Yale, Mayo Clinic, and UConn School of Medicine are published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).

mouse arteries with and without plaques

Removing Protein Makes Non-stick Arteries

Looking to make drugs more effective in combating heart disease

UConn Health/JAX Study Gives Better Understanding of Endometriosis and How it Grows

The study builds a robust foundation for a better understanding of endometriosis and how it grows