Sarah Clark, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Education
Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology, University of Maryland, Baltimore MD B.Sc. in Biology, magna cum laude, University of Toledo, Toledo OH Current Projects I provide administrative and scientific support to the lab while continuing to pursue independent research projects, including the role of T cells in depression and anxiety, as well as studying the potential anti-inflammatory actions of ketamine and its metabolites. Contact Information Email: sclark[at]som.umaryland.edu Phone: (410) 706-2325 |
Research Description
I am a psychoneuroimmunologist with a research focus on neuro-immune interactions and the role of the adaptive immune system (specifically T cells) in behavioral responses to inflammation and stress. I am striving to elucidate mechanisms by which dysregulation of the neuro-immune axis results in neuroinflammation and maladaptive stress responses associated with various psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression, as well as schizophrenia. This research incorporates both animal models and post-mortem human tissue and a range of techniques, including immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, flow cytometry, and electroencephalogram recordings, as well as behavioral analyses, to examine changes in gene and protein expression (particularly cytokines), cell proliferation, survival and activation, and brain function.
I am a psychoneuroimmunologist with a research focus on neuro-immune interactions and the role of the adaptive immune system (specifically T cells) in behavioral responses to inflammation and stress. I am striving to elucidate mechanisms by which dysregulation of the neuro-immune axis results in neuroinflammation and maladaptive stress responses associated with various psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression, as well as schizophrenia. This research incorporates both animal models and post-mortem human tissue and a range of techniques, including immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, flow cytometry, and electroencephalogram recordings, as well as behavioral analyses, to examine changes in gene and protein expression (particularly cytokines), cell proliferation, survival and activation, and brain function.
Selected publications
Clark SM, Notarangelo FM, Li X, Chen S, Schwarcz R, Tonelli LH (2019). Maternal immune activation in rats blunts brain cytokine and kynurenine pathway responses to a second immune challenge in early adulthood. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. Mar 8;89:286-298.
Clark SM, Song C, Li X, Keegan AD, Tonelli LH (2019). CD8(+) T cells promote cytokine responses to stress. Cytokine. Jan; 113:256-264.
Clark SM, Soroka JA, Song C, Li X, Tonelli LH (2016). CD4+ T cells confer anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects, but enhance fear memory processes in Rag2-/- mice. Stress. May;19(3):303-11.
Clark SM, Pocivavsek A, Nicholson JD, Notarangelo FM, Langenberg P, McMahon RP, Kleinman JE, Hyde TM, Stiller J, Postolache TT, Schwarcz R, Tonelli LH (2016). Reduced kynurenine pathway metabolism and cytokine expression in the prefrontal cortex of depressed individuals. J Psychiatry Neurosci. Apr 11;41(4):150226.
Clark SM, Sand J, Francis TC, Nagaraju A, Michael KC, Keegan AD, Kusnecov A, Gould TD, Tonelli LH (2014). Immune status influences fear and anxiety responses in mice after acute stress exposure. Brain Behav Immun. May; 38:192-201.
Clark S, Schwalbe J, Stasko MR, Yarowsky PJ, Costa AC (2006). Fluoxetine rescues deficient neurogenesis in hippocampus of the Ts65Dn mouse model for Down syndrome. Exp Neurol. Jul; 200(1):256-61.
For full list, please visit:
Clark SM, Song C, Li X, Keegan AD, Tonelli LH (2019). CD8(+) T cells promote cytokine responses to stress. Cytokine. Jan; 113:256-264.
Clark SM, Soroka JA, Song C, Li X, Tonelli LH (2016). CD4+ T cells confer anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects, but enhance fear memory processes in Rag2-/- mice. Stress. May;19(3):303-11.
Clark SM, Pocivavsek A, Nicholson JD, Notarangelo FM, Langenberg P, McMahon RP, Kleinman JE, Hyde TM, Stiller J, Postolache TT, Schwarcz R, Tonelli LH (2016). Reduced kynurenine pathway metabolism and cytokine expression in the prefrontal cortex of depressed individuals. J Psychiatry Neurosci. Apr 11;41(4):150226.
Clark SM, Sand J, Francis TC, Nagaraju A, Michael KC, Keegan AD, Kusnecov A, Gould TD, Tonelli LH (2014). Immune status influences fear and anxiety responses in mice after acute stress exposure. Brain Behav Immun. May; 38:192-201.
Clark S, Schwalbe J, Stasko MR, Yarowsky PJ, Costa AC (2006). Fluoxetine rescues deficient neurogenesis in hippocampus of the Ts65Dn mouse model for Down syndrome. Exp Neurol. Jul; 200(1):256-61.
For full list, please visit: