Dr. Ciernia is a neurobiologist studying how gene expression is regulated in the brain during development and disease. Dr. Ciernia’s lab combines experimental and computational approaches to understand how different brain cell types regulate gene expression across our lifespan. Her lab specifically focuses on mechanisms of epigenetic regulation in rodent models of neuro-immune interactions. Her group tests novel hypotheses linking genetic and environmental risk factors to altered patterns of gene expression, epigenomic regulatory pathways, cellular function and animal behaviour. Findings from Dr. Ciernia’s research increase our understanding of the mechanisms regulating gene expression in the brain during neuroinflammation and form the basis for future development of novel immune targeted therapeutics.