The Bilbo Lab focuses on the study of neuroimmune interactions in brain development, using pre-clinical models. We collaborate with clinical research groups to translate our findings to human populations. We are particularly interested in the role of immune molecules in both normal and disrupted brain development, based on evidence from human and animal studies that immune system dysfunction or inflammation may be critical in a number of neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, cognitive and mood disorders, and autism. A particular focus is on the resident immune cells of the brain, microglia, including their development and function in response to early life inflammatory signals.   

There are 4 major research areas in the lab, and these are briefly outlined here with representative publications included:

• Microglia, Neural Development, and Cognition Throughout the Lifespan
• Environmental and Social Toxins and the Developmental Origins of Disease
• Sex Differences in Glial Function
• Neural-Glial Interactions in Addiction

*Send an email to staci.bilbo@duke.edu for reprint requests.

Books, Chapters, and Commentaries:

 
Schwarz, JM and Bilbo, SD.  (2011) The Immune System and the Developing Brain.  McCarthy's The Developing Brain Series.  Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences.

Bilbo, SD. (2011) How cytokines leave their mark: The role of the placenta in developmental programming of brain and behavior.  Brain, Behavior, & Immunity, 25(4): 602-3.  Invited Commentary

Bilbo, SD & Klein, SL. (2012) The neuroendocrine-immune axis in health and disease.  Hormones and Behavior, 62(3): 187-90.  Special Issue Introduction.

Schwarz, JM and Bilbo, SD.  (2012) Microglia and Neurodevelopment:  Programming of Cognition Throughout the Lifespan.  Handbook of Psychoneuroimmunology, in press.

Devlin, Benjamin A., Caroline J. Smith, and Staci D. Bilbo. “Sickness and the social brain: How the immune system regulates behavior across species.” Brain, Behavior and Evolution, December 15, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1159/000521476.

Petrozziello, Tiziana, Evan A. Bordt, Alexandra N. Mills, Spencer E. Kim, Ellen Sapp, Benjamin A. Devlin, Abigail A. Obeng-Marnu, et al. “Targeting Tau Mitigates Mitochondrial Fragmentation and Oxidative Stress in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.” Molecular Neurobiology, November 10, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-021-02557-w.

Bordt, Evan A., Lydia L. Shook, Caroline Atyeo, Krista M. Pullen, Rose M. De Guzman, Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn, Maeva Chauvin, et al. “Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits sexually dimorphic placental immune responses.” Science Translational Medicine 13, no. 617 (October 27, 2021): eabi7428. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abi7428.

Figueroa, C., H. Yang, J. DiSpirito, J. R. Bourgeois, G. Kalyanasundaram, I. Doshi, S. D. Bilbo, and A. M. Kopec. “Morphine exposure alters Fos expression in a sex-, age-, and brain region-specific manner during adolescence.” Developmental Psychobiology 63, no. 6 (September 2021): e22186. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22186.

Dziabis, Julia E., and Staci D. Bilbo. “Microglia and Sensitive Periods in Brain Development.” Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, September 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2021_242.

Ceasrine, Alexis M., and Staci D. Bilbo. “Primetime for microglia: When stress and infection collide.” Neuron 109, no. 16 (August 2021): 2503–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2021.07.023.

Maguire, Rachel L., John S. House, Dillon T. Lloyd, Harlyn G. Skinner, Terrence K. Allen, Asifa Mohamed Raffi, David A. Skaar, et al. “Associations between maternal obesity, gestational cytokine levels and child obesity in the NEST cohort.” Pediatric Obesity 16, no. 7 (July 2021): e12763. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12763.

Kemény, Lajos V., Kathleen C. Robinson, Andrea L. Hermann, Deena M. Walker, Susan Regan, Yik Weng Yew, Yi Chun Lai, et al. “Vitamin D deficiency exacerbates UV/endorphin and opioid addiction.” Science Advances 7, no. 24 (June 11, 2021). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abe4577.

Bordt, Evan A., Lydia L. Shook, Caroline Atyeo, Krista M. Pullen, Rose M. De Guzman, Marie-Charlotte Meinsohn, Maeva Chauvin, et al. “Sexually dimorphic placental responses to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection.” Biorxiv, March 29, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.29.437516.

Smith, Caroline J., and Staci D. Bilbo. “Sickness and the Social Brain: Love in the Time of COVID.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 12 (January 2021): 633664. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.633664.

Our work featured in Science:
http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/08/tapeworms-may-be-good-your-brain

and here:
http://qz.com/474523/is-your-gut-really-the-second-brain/

Listen to Dr. Bilbo on NPR's State of Things HERE

Here is a recent write-up of our work from Duke:

Radio Interview with Dr. Bilbo:

Some recent press releases on our work:

Williamson, LL, Sholar, PW, Mistry RS, Smith, SH, and Bilbo, SD.  (2011) Microglia and memory: modulation by early-life infection. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(43): 15511-21.

       Read the press release here.

Schwarz, JM, Hutchinson, MR, & Bilbo SD.  (2011) Early-life experience decreases potential abuse liability of morphine via microglial-specific epigenetic programming of anti-inflammatory IL-10 expression.  Journal of Neuroscience, 31(49):  17835-47.

     Read the press release here in Jezebel.com.

Available positions:

Undergraduate opportunities:

Undergraduate students wishing to gain research experience in this laboratory must have:

1.  Successful completion of NEUROSCI 101 (Biological Bases of Behavior), NEUROSCI 201 (Fundamentals of Neuroscience), BIO/NEUROSCI 223 (Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology), or equivalent (must have bench top laboratory requirements).

2.  An understanding, respect, and acceptance of the use of live animals in research.

3.  Willingness to commit 8-10 hours/week for at least one semester, which may also include weekends and evenings.

4.  Maturity, commitment, and dependability.

Contact Prof. Staci Bilbo for more information:

Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
3016 GSRB II
572 Research Drive
Box 91050
Duke University
Durham, NC  27708
                                   
Office:  919.681.7005                        
Lab:  919-681-7262
Fax:  919-660-5798
staci.bilbo@duke.edu