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About
About
Amy R. Nelson, PhD
AmyReneeNelson[at]usf.edu
Bio and research interests
Dr. Amy R. Nelson is a passionate researcher, educator, and advocate for Alzheimer's disease. She serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. She leads basic, translational, and clinical research to identify root causes of brain dysfunction leading to cognitive impairment. The Nelson lab employs cell culture, experimental models, human iPSC-derived brain organoids and human studies to answer key scientific questions. Dr. Nelson's career is focused on root causes of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, with a special emphasis on vascular contributions to dementia (VCID).
Because blood vessels in the brain are impacted in the majority of all dementia cases, Dr. Nelson wants to know why. One major hypothesis being tested is whether there is a trigger, perhaps tau, coming from another organ (e.g., lungs) in response to severe infection or organ injury that travels through the bloodstream causing vascular damage, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. The other major focus of the lab is understanding pericyte physiology in health and disease. Pericytes are cells that regulate brain blood flow and maintain the blood-brain barrier. Cerebral blood flow is reduced and blood-brain barrier permeability is increased early in Alzheimer's disease. Perhaps targeting pericyte physiology in mild-cognitive impairment could prevent further cognitive decline.
Team
Good science begins with a good team
Occasionally, we make time for fun outside of the lab. We enjoy attending scientific conferences. We enjoy celebrating birthdays, holidays and achievements. Here are some fun photos from the Nelson lab from the present and past.
Our Research Approach
The Nelson lab employs cell culture, experimental models, human iPSC-derived brain organoids and human studies to answer key scientific questions.
Multiphoton microscopy
We have expertise in in vivo imaging through a cranial window in experimental models. It is critical that we are able to answer scientific questions in an intact vascular system with blood flow to understand normal and pathological functions of the neurovascular unit.
Brain organoids
We employ human hippocampal and cortical organoids as an experimental model of brain health and disease.
Patient biofluids
Through our collaboration with Dr. Brant Wagener at UAB, we receive intensive care unit patient plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and CSF from individuals with our without pneumonia. We measure Alzheimer's disease-relevant biomarkers in these biofluids.
Physiological metrics
We measure physiology in health and Alzheimer's disease of different brain cell types using a number of approaches, including calcium imaging, electrophysiology and microscopy of cellular dynamics.
Funding
Thank you to those who support our work!
University of South Florida
12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Nelson lab
Tampa, FL 33612, USA