Research in Neurosurgery & Neuroscience

Our faculty members are committed to technology development, basic science and clinical trials. We are especially committed to translational research, the process by which laboratory discoveries lead to new therapies and treatments for our patients.

As a result, multidisciplinary collaboration among basic researchers and clinical subspecialists is a core value in our department. We co-founded the UC Collaborative for Research on Acute Neurologic Injuries (CRANI) and work closely with the Neuroscience Graduate Program  

Neurophysiology of Stroke and Brain Trauma

The Neurophysiology Lab is engaged in some of our most exciting translational research on the development of acute brain lesions from stroke and brain trauma. This research focuses on spreading depolarizations, or “brain tsunamis”, which are massive short-circuiting electrical waves that repeatedly spread through the injured brain. They promote profound pathologic changes on the molecular, cellular, and tissue level that lead to mass cell death. 

Spreading depolarizations are studied clinically by placing a linear strip of electrodes on the brain surface in patients following severe neurotrauma, a ruptured aneurysm, or ischemic stroke. They occur with high incidence (50-90%), often for many days, and are a new focus for monitoring and treatment in neurocritical care. The lab also studies spreading depolarizations in large and small animal models to gain insight into causes, mechanisms, and treatments. 

Neurotrauma Research

Our neurotrauma research portfolio is diverse and includes a range of preclinical and clinical studies. We participate in the national clinical effort, Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in TBI (TRACK-TBI), and lead the affiliated multi-center of brain neuromonitoring, Spreading Depolarizations-II. Our rodent Neurotrauma Lab, led by Drs. Laura Ngwenya, MD, PhD and Jennifer McGuire, PhD, studies mechanisms mediating poor cognitive outcome, including aberrent neurogenesis and altered metabolic pathways. We also collaborate with the Department of Surgery, Center for Surgical Innovation, and CCHMC to understand brain trauma pathology in gyrencephalic large animal models.    

Brain Tumor Research

The UC Brain Tumor Center integrates the research and translational activities of an interdisciplinary team of clinicians and scientists from across the University of Cincinnati and its neighboring institutions.  Our mission is to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for tumors that arise in the brain as well as tumors that have spread (metastasized) to the brain.  

Goodyear Research Lab

The Goodyear Lab was established in 1986 as a premier research and education facility for residents, fellows, and faculty. The lab provides a setting for neurosurgeons to learn and study surgical anatomy, particularly of the skull base, and become skilled in microsurgical and endoscopic procedures.

Core Facilities

Our mission is to facilitate world-class, collaborative research—both basic and translational— in cerebrovascular diseases, neurotrauma and other acute neurological conditions by providing superb facilities, expertise and mentorship.

Our suite of core laboratories, well equipped and efficiently arranged, is located on the fifth floor of the Medical Sciences Building. Dedicated areas in our laboratories support studies of cell/tissue culture, electrophysiology, rodent surgery and ex vivo tissue preparation, rodent behavioral testing, microscopy dark room and imaging equipment, histology and slide preparation, tissue archiving, and protein, DNA, and RNA molecular biology.  

In combination with the established cores at the UC College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, we can provide a comprehensive array of practical and intellectual approaches to a scientific problem, from inception to implementation, presentation and publication.