Leah Phan

Leah joined the Khoshbouei lab in 2017. Under the mentorship of Dr. Habibeh Khoshbouei, Leah has had the opportunity to explore several different avenues of research including: investigating neuron- immune inertactions with natural aging and the implications of aSyn overexpression on dopamine networks and function. Currently, Leah is invested in examing dopamine dysfunction druing a hyper- and hypo-dopaminergic state in Methamphetamine Use Disorder and Parkinson’s Disease.

Addiction: Dopamine neurons play a vital role in various functions, with one of their primary roles being the release of dopamine in response to rewarding and pleasurable stimuli. Methamphetamine, a highly potent drug, primarily targets these dopamine neurons, contributing to its strong addictive potential. Leah’s research aims to provide valuable insights into the neurobiological and neurobehavioral sex differences in Methamphetamine abuse and examine GLP1-R agonists as an effective, sex-specific treatment strategy in Methamphetamine Use Disorder.

Parkinson’s: Parkinson’s disease encompases the degeneration of dopamine neurons in the Substantia Nigra and Lewy bodies containing alpha-synucelin inclusions leading to motor dysfunction; however non-motor symtpoms occur decades before motor impairment. Individuals with Parkinson’s are more likely to have gastrointestinal symtoms and systemic inflammation. Leah aims to understand understand the biological implications of how central dopamine levels effect peripheral immunity.

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