Research
The goal of the Carlson Lab is to investigate the neural circuitry of cognitive, emotional and memory processing, particularly as it relates to the cerebellum. We are interested in the pathophysiology of illnesses affecting cerebellum including cognitive disorders, PTSD, TBI and dementia through the implementation of techniques in mouse behavioral genetics and circuit dissection.
In my clinical practice, I primarily see veterans with PTSD, mild cognitive impairment, and various forms of dementia in an outpatient clinic at the VAMC Puget Sound Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) in Seattle.
My current research utilizes mouse behavior, in vivo electrophysiological recordings, gene targeting, fiber photometry with calcium imaging and biosensors, viral vectors, translational profiling, chemo- and optogenetic tools, site-specific intracranial viral vector injection, and protein chemistry.
We also have a collaboration with the Keene/BRaIN lab looking at cerebellum in Alzheimer’s disease. We’re using histology, immunohistochemistry, single nucleus RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and proteomics to understand cerebellar reserve and brain resilience in neurodegeneration.
