Ph.D. student Virginia McLane, Ling Cao and Colin Willis Publish in ‘Journal of Neuroimmunology’

Virginia McLane, a doctoral student working under the mentorship of Ling Cao, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of microbiology, and Colin Willis, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology, both of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, has had a manuscript accepted for publication in the Journal of Neuroimmunology.  McLane is a graduate student in the University of Maine Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE) program, which partners with UNE and other institutions across Maine to offer biomedical research opportunities to doctoral students.

Titled “Morphine increases hippocampal viral load and suppresses frontal lobe CCL5 expression in the LP-BM5 AIDS model,” the paper explores the effect of chronic morphine on brain inflammation and blood-brain barrier permeability in a mouse model of HIV/AIDS. This work will form the foundation for McLane’s thesis on the detrimental interaction between opiate abuse and HIV-related cognitive disorders.

McLane’s stipend is supported by the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function at UNE.  The research presented in the paper was funded by the COBRE grant as well as a UNE Vice President for Research (VPR) mini grant and a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.