My lab investigates the roles of early inflammation in tissue damage and wound healing following spinal cord injury. We employ genetic and pharmacological methods to study how immune receptors (e.g. L-selection) and signaling pathways alter the accumulation and activation of early arriving immune cells, predominantly neutrophils. We are also developing new three-dimensional imaging strategies to characterize inflammation and tissue damage after spinal cord injury. Utilizing tissue clearing techniques and lightsheet microscopy, we can visualize the spatiotemporal effects of spinal cord injury in a manner previously unachievable with traditional imaging modalities. With the knowledge gained from these studies, we aim to develop novel neuroprotective strategies to reduce inflammatory damage and improve long-term recovery for the spinal cord injured patient.

1. Narayanan, A, Seaberg, BL, Buxton, A, Vernino, A, Williams, VE, Matarazzo, A et al.. Lymphatic dysfunction correlates with inflammation in the SOD1-G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dis Model Mech. 2025; :. doi: 10.1242/dmm.052148. PubMed PMID:40600271 .
2. Buxton, AW, Jalufka, FL, Hruska, ME, Kubaney, JR, McCreedy, DA. Rapid and efficient optical tissue clearing for volumetric imaging of the intact and injured spinal cord in mice. Front Neurosci. 2025;19 :1601360. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1601360. PubMed PMID:40584879 PubMed Central PMC12202625.
3. Gillespie, T, Buxton, A, Kondiles, BR, Leal-Garcia, M, Pacheco, MR, Tran, AV et al.. Funding distributions, trends, gaps, and policy implications for spinal cord injury research: A systematic analysis of US federal funds. medRxiv. 2025; :. doi: 10.1101/2025.06.01.25328764. PubMed PMID:40502557 PubMed Central PMC12154993.
4. Leal-Garcia, ME, Pacheco, MR, Reid, SK, Tseng, VS, Kirchhoff, M, Tadiboyina, S et al.. L-selectin shedding regulates functional recovery and neutrophil clearance following spinal cord injury in a sex-dependent manner. bioRxiv. 2025; :. doi: 10.1101/2025.05.28.656699. PubMed PMID:40501839 PubMed Central PMC12154661.
5. Reid, SK, Tran, AV, Leal-Garcia, ME, Devaraj, S, Ozturgut, M, McCreedy, DA et al.. Sex-dependent effects of peptidylarginine deiminases on neutrophil function and long-term outcomes after spinal cord injury. bioRxiv. 2025; :. doi: 10.1101/2025.05.08.652924. PubMed PMID:40463031 PubMed Central PMC12132249.
6. Reid, SK, Leal-Garcia, ME, Tran, AV, Rehtmeyer, NT, Shirvaikar, IS, Kirchhoff, MA et al.. Recombinant human DNase treatment mitigates extracellular trap mediated damage and improves long-term recovery after spinal cord injury in male mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2025;128 :456-468. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2025.04.033. PubMed PMID:40268066 .
7. Tucker, A, Baltazar, A, Eisdorfer, JT, Thackray, JK, Vo, K, Thomas, H et al.. Functional synaptic connectivity of engrafted spinal cord neurons with locomotor circuitry in the injured spinal cord. bioRxiv. 2025; :. doi: 10.1101/2025.04.05.644402. PubMed PMID:40236108 PubMed Central PMC11996546.
8. Jensen, VN, Huffman, EE, Jalufka, FL, Pritchard, AL, Baumgartner, S, Walling, I et al.. V2a neurons restore diaphragm function in mice following spinal cord injury. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024;121 (11):e2313594121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2313594121. PubMed PMID:38442182 PubMed Central PMC10945804.
9. Aceves, M, Tucker, A, Chen, J, Vo, K, Moses, J, Amar Kumar, P et al.. Publisher Correction: Developmental stage of transplanted neural progenitor cells influences anatomical and functional outcomes after spinal cord injury in mice. Commun Biol. 2023;6 (1):635. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-05018-3. PubMed PMID:37311793 PubMed Central PMC10264442.
10. Aceves, M, Tucker, A, Chen, J, Vo, K, Moses, J, Amar Kumar, P et al.. Developmental stage of transplanted neural progenitor cells influences anatomical and functional outcomes after spinal cord injury in mice. Commun Biol. 2023;6 (1):544. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-04893-0. PubMed PMID:37208439 PubMed Central PMC10199026.