Understanding Astrocytes

The Effects of Expressive Masking

Philip G. Haydon joined the Department of Neuroscience as a professor and chair in 2008. He studies astrocytes, those glial cells found throughout the central nervous system that were once thought to be merely structural (glia is Greek for glue) but are now thought to participate actively in neural transmission. Haydon is excited about obtaining a deeper understanding of astrocytes, for basic neuroscience as well as potential therapeutics. (more)

Linda Tickle-Degnen, PhD, joined the Department of Occupational Therapy in 2006 and became the department’s chair in 2007. Research in her Health Quality of Life Lab is directed toward understanding and promoting positive social functioning and wellness in individuals with Parkinson’s disease and other chronic conditions. She is especially intrigued by the wide-reaching effects of reduced facial expressivity, a symptom of Parkinson’s. (more)

What Came First—the Galaxy or the Black Hole?

Does Aid Win Hearts and Minds?

Marianne Vestergaard, PhD, joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy in 2007. Vestergaard earned her MSc and PhD in astrophysics from the astronomy department of the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen. She did dissertation research at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and postdoctoral research at Ohio State University and the University of Arizona. Her research interests include the physics of the nuclear engines of quasars, the mass of black holes, and the relation of an active black hole to its galaxy. (more)

Andrew Wilder, PhD, joined the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy in January 2007. He is research director for politics and policy at the Feinstein International Center. Wilder’s research explores state building, governance, and aid effectiveness, with a specialization on Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is currently working on a project to assess whether international aid is an effective tool for promoting stability and improving security, especially in counterinsurgency contexts. (more)