Misson Statement
Dr. Peter J. Gaskill
Our research explores the immunopharmacology of neurotransmitters, addictive drugs and neuropsychiatric therapeutics in neurological and inflammatory disease. Currently, our projects focus on the impact of dopamine on inflammasome activity, the role of addictive substances (cocaine, benzodiazepines) on HIV replication and associated inflammation in the brain, the impact of HIV / HBV co-infection and stimulants on HIV infection in liver and lung macrophages, and the development of iPSC models of microglia, macrophages, human cortical and mid-brain organoids to facilitate our understanding and research into neuroHIV and other neurodegenerative diseases. A common thread throughout these projects is a focus on myeloid cells, a central driver of innate inflammation as well as a primary target for HIV infection in many organ systems. We use primary human macrophages from blood and tissues as well as iPSC-derived macrophages and microglia, and many of our experiments use high-content imaging to perform unbiased, high-throughput analysis of large, heterogenous cell populations and molecular targets in response to many distinct stimuli. Combining these high content analyses with molecular and cell biology techniques enables us to focus specifically on the molecular mechanisms regulating the involvement of myeloid cells in disease processes.
Gaskill Lab News
August 2025
Alexis Brantly did fantastic job today defending her thesis focused on "Establishing a model of HIV infection in macrophages to assess HIV / HBV co-infection driven liver disease". Keep an eye here for great data coming out soon about HIV / HBV coinfection.
The Gaskill lab received our notice of award for our R33, funding our research Defining molecular mechanisms by which stimulant evoked dopamine drives inflammation and neuronal dysfunction in neuroHIV !!!
June 2025
Very excited to announce our latest pre-print, initiated by Dr. Teresa Lupone prior to her graduation, this project was ably carried across the finish line by Alexis Brantly, who completed and greatly expanded on Dr. Luponesinitial studies. This manuscript "A high-throughput RT-qPCR-based assay to quantify viral growth and fitness in vitro" is now up on bioRxiv!!
We are thrilled to welcome Erin Curley to the lab as a 1st year Ph.D. student in Pharmacology and Physiology!!
Congratulations to Tofunmi Oteju, who got 2nd place at the pre-doctoral poster competition at the Society for Neuroimmune Pharmacology this year!!!
May 2025
Extremely pleased to announce the publication of our most recent paper "Microenvironmental Conditions and Serum Availability Alter Primary Human Macrophage NF-κB Inflammatory Response and Function" in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. This project was led by Dr. Breana Channer, and examines effects of distinct culture and serum on inflammatory responses in human macrophages.
Congratulations to Marzieh Daniali for winning a 2025 Dr. Farideh Toorany Memorial Scholarship from the Iranian American Academics and Professionals association!!!!
April 2025
So thrilled to congratulate Yash Agarwal, who was asked to give an oral presentation on his research on HIV infection of human brain organoids at the Society for Neuroimmune Pharmacology Meeting in Nebraska this June!!!
Incredibly proud and excited to congratulate Marzieh Daniali on the receipt of a Faculty for the Future fellowship to help develop her career and fund her research into dopamine and inflammasomes in our lab over the next year!!!
Congratulations to Dr. Matt, as well as most of the Gaskill - Matt lab group, on the publication of our new work studying "Dopamine-driven increase in IL-1β in myeloid cells is mediated by differential dopamine receptor expression and exacerbated by HIV" in the Journal of Neuroinflammation!!! This is the latest in our multi-year project examining the mechanisms by which dopamine influences the development of inflammation and how that is impacted in people living with HIV.
Dr. Breana Channer received a travel fellowship to the American Association for Immunologists (AAI) meeting this May - AAI will be her last meeting during (technically after) her PhD, but she is going out with a bang!!!
March 2025
Amazing, amazing, amazing job by Breana Channer defending her dissertation entitled ""Evaluating TLR4 and Dopamine Mediated Inflammatory Responses in Human Macrophages Across Distinct Culture and Serum Conditions." We are incredibly proud and impressed with her work !!!
February 2025
Congratulations to both Tofunmi and Marzieh, who both received travel awards to attend and present at the Society for Neuroimmune Pharmacology Meeting in Nebraska this June!!!
January 2025
We are excited to welcome masters students Michel Kane-Jackson and Stephanie Kosashvili to our lab group