OUR RESEARCH

The blood-brain barrier is the interface between blood and brain that controls what goes in and comes out of the brain.

Anatomically, the blood-brain barrier is made of endothelial cells forming a complex vascular network that supplies the brain with oxygen and nutrients, and disposes of carbon dioxide and wastes.

Recent studies show that the blood-brain barrier is affected by brain disorders and itself plays a role in causing brain disease. Therefore, understanding blood-brain barrier function is critical for devising new therapeutic strategies to enhance brain drug delivery, improve brain protection, and treat brain disorders.
Currently, we study the role of the blood-brain barrier in three diseases:

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Louis T. Rodgers, Bryan J. Maloney, Anika M. S. Hartz, and Björn Bauer

2025, 17(5), 734; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050734

In this study, we developed and tested a method for the fluorescence-guided resection of glioblastoma tumors in mouse models. Unlike previous models, our approach mimics clinical conditions by targeting tumors located deeper in the brain

Geetika Nehra, Bryan J. Maloney, Rebecca R. Smith, Wijitra Chumboatong, Erin L. Abner, Peter T. Nelson, Björn Bauer & Anika M. S. Hartz

(2025) 22:4 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12987-024-00615-8

This study highlights plasma S100β as a promising non-invasive biomarker for early detection and progression monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease. Given its strong association with cognitive decline and AD pathology, S100β could serve as a valuable

Velmurugan GV, Vekaria HJ, Hartz AMS, Bauer B, Hubbard WB

2024 21:81, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12987-024-00579-9

Neurovascular deficits and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction are major hallmarks of brain traumaand neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress is a prominent contributor to neurovascular unit (NVU) dysfunction and can propagate BBB disruption. Oxidative damage results in

CONTACT US

University of Kentucky
760 Press Ave, 124 HKRB
Lexington, KY 40536-0679
USA
bauerhartzlab@uky.edu