Novel roles and regulatory factors: The lab has identified novel roles of chemokines in differentiated neurons, such as regulation of neuronal-glial communication, neurotransmission, and excitotoxicity. These findings elucidated some of the molecular players that lead to neuronal injury. By revealing the link of certain chemokine receptors to neuronal survival and function, these discoveries have been instrumental in predicting potential consequence of chemokine alteration or manipulation under normal and pathological conditions, and in the exploration of new therapeutic approaches to reduce neuroinflammation and neuronal damage in the adult brain.

Despite the benefits of current antiretroviral treatments, the neurological complications of HIV infection remain an important and unmet medical and social need. Drug abusers, particularly injection drug users, represent a significant group of HIV-infected patients. These individuals, whose adherence to antiretroviral therapy is generally poor, often present with a more dramatic progression to AIDS and neuroAIDS. Opiates can accelerate HIV neuropathology by acting on immune and neural cells; however, the mechanisms involved are unclear. Characterization of these mechanisms will yield new insights for the development of neuroprotective therapies in HIV patients.