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Virginia McLane, a doctoral student working under the mentorship of Ling Cao, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of microbiology, and Colin Willis, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology, both of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, has had a manuscript accepted for publication in the Journal of Neuroimmunology.  McLane is a graduate student in the University of Maine Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE) program, which partners with ��������ϲ����� and other institutions across Maine to offer biomedical research opportunities to doctoral students.

Titled “Morphine increases hippocampal viral load and suppresses frontal lobe CCL5 expression in the LP-BM5 AIDS model,” the paper explores the effect of chronic morphine on brain inflammation and blood-brain barrier permeability in a mouse model of HIV/AIDS. This work will form the foundation for McLane’s thesis on the detrimental interaction between opiate abuse and HIV-related cognitive disorders.

McLane’s stipend is supported by the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function at ��������ϲ�����.  The research presented in the paper was funded by the COBRE grant as well as a ��������ϲ����� Vice President for Research (VPR) mini grant and a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant.