About Neural Gut Immune Axis Consortium
The Neural Gut Axis Consortium is a team of faculty at Texas A&M University in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics (NExT), working together toward understanding the bi-directional relationship between the nervous system and the gut. They are organizing a scientific symposium on neuroscience and the gut to bring together researchers from various fields and provide a platform for interactive discussions and the exchange of ideas.
Members of the NGIA Consortium
Dr. Farida Sohrabji
Dr. Farida Sohrabji is Regents Professor and Department Head of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics. Her research focuses on the acute and chronic consequences of ischemic stroke, which is a leading risk factor for AD and related dementias. Recent work concentrates on the role of the gut microbiome, gut metabolites and gut permeability after stroke, and supports the idea that “Gut health is brain health”
Dr. Lee Shapiro
Dr. Lee Shapiro is an Associate Professor in the NExT Department. His research concentrates on Traumatic Brain Injury and its consequences on gut health. One goal is to target the Neural-Gut Axis to promote recovery after TBI.
Dr. Michelle Hook
Dr. Michelle Hook is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on recovery of function following spinal cord injury (SCI), and the role of the gut in the development of depression and cognitive impairment after SCI.
Dr. Cédric Geoffroy
Dr. Cedric Geoffroy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. His research focuses on understanding how the changes in the gut microbiota and metabolites after SCI negatively impact health (including cardiometabolic functions, bowel functions, and locomotion).
Dr. Karienn Souza
Dr. Karienn Souza is a Research Assistant Professor and Director of the NExT Behavioral Core at the Texas A&M College of Medicine.
The overarching goal of her research program is to the determine how alterations of the gut-brain axis contribute to the development of cognitive and circadian dysfunction in advanced age.
Dr. David Earnest
Dr. David Earnest is a Professor in the NExT department. His current research focuses on understanding the interplay between circadian disruption, gut functions and neural injury.
Dr. Rajesh Miranda
Dr. Rajesh Miranda is a Professor in the NExT Department. One aspect of his research is to determine whether prenatal alcohol exposure produces changes in gut function, and subsequently impacts neural development and long-term health.
Dr. Ann Alex
Dr. Ann Alex is a Research Assistant Professor in the NExT Department. Her research focuses on integrating multi-omics technologies to understand how genetic and environmental risk factors shape brain development, function, and vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease.
