Division
- Neuropathology
Lab Website
Education
- BS: Wisconsin Lutheran College
- PhD: University of Notre Dame
Research Interests
- Neuroscience
- Glia
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
Research Statement
Glia are essential cells that support neuronal health and modulate neuronal function. In development, glia have prominent roles instructing the formation of neural circuitry. When disrupted, this often leads to neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders later in life. During my graduate work I focused on discovering new roles of glia during nervous system construction. This work is essential for furthering our understanding of cellular communication that may be dysfunctional in neuropathic pain. My fascination with cellular interactions during nervous system development has led me to join the Ackerman Lab. Here I will investigate how interactions between neurons and glia impact long-lasting features of neural circuits, which may impact neurodegeneration later in life.
Publications
| Jacob P. Brandt and Cody J. Smith. Piezo1-mediated spontaneous calcium transients in satellite glia impact dorsal root ganglia development. PLoS Biology. 2023 |
| Lauren A. Green, Robert M. Gallant, Jacob P. Brandt, Ev L. Nichols, Cody J. Smith. A Subset of Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells Interact With the Developing Dorsal Root Entry Zone During Its Genesis. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 2022 |
| Nina L. Kikel-Coury, Jacob P. Brandt, Isabel A. Correia, Michael R. O’Dea, Dana F. DeSantis, Felicity Sterling, Kevin Vaughan, Gulberk Ozcebe, Pinar Zorlutuna, and Cody J. Smith. Identification of astroglia-like cardiac nexus glia that are critical regulators of cardiac development and function. PLoS Biology. 2021. |