Katrina (Katie) Volk
Graduate Student, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Research Description
I study the role of microglial cells (the resident macrophages of the brain) in the regulation and maintenance of iron homeostasis in the brain. In particular, iron overload has been associated with inflammation and several neurodegenerative disorders, and my goal is to explore the influence of microglial iron-handling on intrinsic immunometabolism, brain inflammatory status, and neural function.