Ashley Brandebura, Ph.D. (joining Fall 2025)

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience

• B.S., 2011 Allegheny College
• Ph.D., 2019 West Virginia University
• Postdoctoral Research, 2019-2025, Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Email:

fsw8xt@virginia.edu

1. Astrocyte contributions to miswiring of synapses in neurodevelopmental disorders and the loss of synapses in neurodegenerative disease
2. Reactive astrocyte heterogeneity and brain region vulnerability
3. Astrocyte-microglia and astrocyte-blood-brain-barrier crosstalk in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease
4. Contributions of dysregulated interferon signaling to brain phenotypes in Down Syndrome
5. Perineuronal nets and brain plasticity

The Brandebura laboratory is focused on understanding how astrocytes, and their crosstalk with other glial cells and cells comprising the blood-brain-barrier, contributes to neuroinflammation and synaptic dyshomeostasis in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. We aim to understand the molecular pathways altered in reactive astrocytes in disorders such as Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease, and how this results in a downstream loss of their ability to support neuronal synapses and alters their communication with microglia and the vascular cells.