The Elzinga lab at MSU
Brain health and aging
The Elzinga Lab is working to understand how inflammation and the immune system promote cognitive impairment and dementia as we age, particularly in people with obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes.
the Elzinga lab at msu
THE PEOPLE
Meet the people that do the work!
Lab PI
Dr. Elzinga first became interested in research due to her love of horses and had her first research experience at MSU learning about equine nutrition. She is passionate about building our understanding of how the brain works and how we can use that understanding to better treat diseases.
Alyssa May
Research Assistant
Alyssa May developed a strong passion for research, driven by her interest in swine and agricultural sciences. She gained valuable research experience at the University of Missouri, where she focused on hematopoiesis and the development of the immune system in swine during gestation and the post-gestational timepoints. Her master’s thesis, titled A Cell Atlas of Swine Immune System Development, utilized single cell sequencing and flow cytometry techniques. This experience deepened Alyssa’s understanding of the immune system and the cellular mechanisms within the body. She is now eager to further expand her knowledge and explore the roles of cellular processes in cognitive dysfunction.
Jordan Kreger
Graduate Student
After graduating with her bachelors degree in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Jordan began her scientific journey as a clinical research technician at the University of Michigan investigating mechanisms underlying rhinovirus-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in children and young adults through both molecular and bioinformatics modalities. Her experience there fostered a love for translational research, using basic science modalities to expand clinical knowledge and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes. This brought Jordan to MSU and Dr. Elzinga’s lab to pursue her PhD, where she studies the interplay between metabolic dysregulation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive decline.
Charlotte Schultz
Graduate Student
Charlotte Schultz earned her bachelor’s degrees in Neuroscience and Psychology from Michigan State University, where she developed a robust interest in behavioral neuroscience. During her undergraduate studies, she investigated the role of neurotensin receptors 1 and 2 in the lateral preoptic area and their influence on ingestive behaviors associated with obesity. Her research experience using obesity models sparked her interest in the relationship between diet, cognitive decline, and metabolic dysregulation. She is now pursing her PhD in Dr. Elzinga’s lab, where she aims to further explore these interconnected processes.
Contact the Lab:
766 Service Rd
East Lansing MI, 48823
[email protected]
the Elzinga lab at MSU
collaborators
Science is a team sport! The Elzinga Lab collaborates with multiple labs, including several labs at the University of Michigan, the University of North Dakota, and multiple labs at Michigan State University-including faculty within the Department of Physiology. Frequent collaborators are featured below!
Drs. Sarah Elzinga and Eva Feldman
Dr. Junguk Hur
Drs. Sarah Elzinga and Evan Reynolds
Dr. Kai Guo
The elzinga lab at MSU
the science
The Elzinga Lab has 3 main projects:
1. Understand the role of a specific inflammatory pathway (cGAS/STING) in the brain during aging in models of obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes.
2. Learn how cells in the brain communicate using inflammatory signals and how that might be causing additional damage to the brain.
3. Uncover how different systems, particularly the brain and other organs, are communicating during aging and with cognitive impairment.
The elzinga lab at MSU
publications and funding
Recent highlighted publications and links to full ORCHID and NCBI lists:
The majority of the lab's funding comes through national grant applications.
Current funding sources or agencies are highlighted below.
