My research focuses on understanding how neuroimmune interactions shape human brain development and contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in the context of prematurity and prenatal inflammation. As a neonatologist–scientist, my work aims to identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which early-life environmental and genetic factors influence cortical development and long-term neurological outcomes.
To address these questions, my research program uses human stem cell–derived neuroimmune organoid models to study interactions between microglia and developing neural cells in a human-relevant system. By integrating stem cell biology, imaging, and single-cell transcriptomic approaches, we investigate how inflammatory signals and genetic perturbations alter interneuron development and cortical circuit formation. This work is complemented by collaborative clinical-translational studies examining prenatal and perinatal risk factors associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Through collaborations across UCSF, including with the Newborn Brain Research Institute and interdisciplinary clinical teams, my research bridges basic and translational science to better understand the fetal origins of brain injury and neurodevelopmental disorders. Ultimately, my goal is to identify modifiable pathways and therapeutic targets that can improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in high-risk infants.