Lauren L. Williamson, Ph.D.

I am an assistant professor at Northern Kentucky University in the Department of Biological Sciences. My primary research is in the field of Psychoneuroimmunology. I am interested in the role of microglia in normal brain function as well as their effects on neurogenesis and hippocampal-dependent cognition. I have also explored the role of maternal health on offspring neuroimmune function, especially focusing on the maternal gut macrobiome. In my laboratory, we work with rodent and cell culture models to explore these questions. I graduated with my Ph.D. from the laboratory of Dr. Staci D. Bilbo at Duke University in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience in May 2014.