Michelle Olsen

The focus of her research is to better understand the role of astrocytes in normal and abnormal central nervous system function. Astrocytes are one of the most abundant cell types in the mammalian brain and spinal cord, yet, until recently, this cell type has been thought of as a support cell to neurons and they have been given relatively little attention. Emerging work suggests astrocytes contribute to all facets of normal brain function, while disrupted astrocyte function is implicated in epilepsy, neurodegenerative disease, depression, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Ongoing projects in the Olsen lab are aimed at understanding how astrocytes contribute to development and maturation of the central nervous system.