Weekly lecture series hosted by the Center for Neuroregeneration and Department of Neurosurgery. 

Tuesdays at 9am-10am in Neurosensory Blue Bird Auditorium 

Title: Role of Glia in Brain Function and Injury Response 

This seminar will present our findings showing that stroke significantly enhances glioma progression and infiltration in both human and mouse models. Using transcriptomic analysis, we identified a novel population of stroke-induced tumor-associated astrocytes (TAAs) characterized by reduced calcium signaling at tumor infiltration zones. Our research demonstrates that restoring calcium activity in TAAs through chemogenetic manipulation reduces stroke-induced tumor progression, with the sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter Slc4a4 emerging as a key regulator. These findings reveal how stroke-induced changes in the brain microenvironment, particularly astrocyte remodeling, contribute to glioma progression and suggest potential therapeutic strategies.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Lee established her lab at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and the Neurological Research Institute in 2016. As a Petrello Endowed Scholar, she advanced to a tenured Associate Professor role in 2022. Throughout her career, Dr. Lee has dedicated her research to unraveling glial mechanisms in various diseases. In her nine years at BCM, she has been a major contributor to graduate education, directing courses and lecturing. Dr. Lee serves on several committees include faculty search, awards, and mentorship committees, as well as the graduate program admissions committee, where she has been an active participant for the past seven years.