My lab and I are an inter-disciplinary research team who develop smart sensor technology to probe delicate and hard to reach systems. At the interface of chemistry, engineering, biophysics and mathematics, we create innovative tools and use them to study biology and our environment.
Parastoo Hashemi
In Vivo Neurotransmitter Measurements
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We study neurotransmitters that are involved in mood and emotional processes, in particular serotonin, histamine, glutamate and metal ions. We are designing and engineering novel analytical microdevices to measure these and other messengers and combining our tools with animal behavior, confocal imaging, molecular biology and computational analysis to tackle some of neuroscience’s most pressing issues. Our focus is on understanding how depression is comorbid linked to inflammation with specific interests in neurodegeneration, stress, diet and toxins.
Depression Diagnostics and Treatments
We are interested in finding in vivo and ex vivo biomarkers of depression. By measuring neurotransmitters in the brain and in model systems outside the brain, we are searching for biomarkers to tell us the etiology and prevalence of depression. By investigating how these markers respond to external challenges, we are creating novel antidepressants and screening tools.