The aim of my work is to investigate the role of glial cells in traumatic brain injury. Heterogeneity of pathology in patients with TBI creates a complex problem, in terms of modeling the disorder. Secondary injury cascades, including excitotoxicity, metabolic dysfunction, diffuse axonal injury, inflammation, and cell death can occur for days to even years in patients, offering an opportunity for therapeutic intervention. Glia cells have emerged as important players in TBI, hypothesized to influence both harmful and protective mechanisms in the brain. The complex interactions and adaptable nature of glial cells are poorly understood in trauma and regeneration. Disagreement in the literature on the effect of reactive states of astrocytes and microglia offers an opportunity to explore the role these cells play in trauma using a relevant human model, such as 3D cerebral organoids. I have developed a model to study TBI in organoids and aim to uncover novel pathways in glial responses.
