Hubbard Lab

About the Lab

The Hubbard Lab seeks to understand the pathobiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and develop therapeutic strategies that target critical mechanisms of injury to improve long-term outcomes. A major focus of our research is understanding the neurological consequences of blast-induced TBI and cumulative low-level blast exposure, which are particularly relevant to military populations. TBI is a major health concern in the United States and worldwide, with millions of individuals sustaining brain injuries each year. The consequences of TBI vary considerably between individuals and can include persistent difficulties with memory, anxiety, social interaction, sleep and other neurological and systemic complications. Our goal is to identify the biological mechanisms that drive these persistent consequences and determine how they can be therapeutically targeted.

Using both blast- and impact-induced preclinical models of TBI, our laboratory investigates the roles of neurovascular dysfunction, mitochondrial impairment and altered cellular metabolism following brain injury. A central area of our research focuses on the neurovascular unit, including the mechanisms underlying blood-brain barrier dysfunction and the development of vascular-directed therapies to promote brain recovery. Our research also examines how TBI alters mitochondrial function and metabolism within the neurovascular unit, with particular interest in mitochondrial bioenergetics, dynamics, transport and intercellular mitochondrial communication. These studies seek to understand how early cellular and metabolic dysfunction contributes to chronic neurological consequences following TBI and to identify new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Across our projects, we integrate molecular and cellular approaches with translational outcome measures, including behavioral assessments, in vivo imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to connect mechanisms of injury with functional recovery.