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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine

Block Lab

Investigators in the research lab of Michelle Block, PhD, at IU School of Medicine is identifying how microglia, the resident innate immune cells in the brain, can become a chronic source of cytokines and reactive oxygen species that drive progressive neuron damage.

Active Research

How do reactive oxygen species reprogram microglia to become deleterious and can we use this information to abolish a neurotoxic phenotype?

The lab’s prior work indicates that chronic pro-inflammatory activation is one critical component of microglia-mediated neurotoxicity. Why does resolution of the microglial pro-inflammatory response fail and how can we both identify and halt this pathology?

Increasing evidence links urban air pollution to CNS disease. How does air pollution affect microglia, what does it mean for CNS disease and what can we do about it?

Research Funding

2009 – Present: Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award NIEHS/NIH
2007 – 2010: Pathway to Independence Award, NIH
2007: Fellow’s Award for Research Excellence (FARE), NIH
2006: Presidents Award for Postdoctoral Research, North Carolina Society of Toxicology
2006: Fellow’s Award for Research Excellence (FARE), NIH
2005: Presidents Award for Postdoctoral Research, North Carolina Society of Toxicology
2005: Fellow’s Award for Research Excellence (FARE), NIH
2005: Young Investigator Award, The Winter Neuropeptide Conference, Breckenridge, CO
2005: Best Poster Presentation Award, NIEHS/NIH Science Day
2003 – 2007: Intramural Research Training Award Fellowship, NIEHS/NIH
2001: Gamma Sigma Delta, Agricultural Honors Society, The Pennsylvania State University
2000: The Siegel Research Award, The Pennsylvania State University
1994: Psi Chi, Psychology Honors Society, Iowa State University

Recent Publications

A full list of Block’s publication history is available on PubMed.

Faculty Research Team

Additional Research Team Member

The Block Lab team also includes Christine Mumaw (laboratory manager).

Get Research Updates

To stay current on the medical research work at IU School of Medicine, follow the IU School of Medicine research blog, where investigators throughout the school’s academic departments statewide post updates about their work.