Monica Olszens

Biography

My lab studies the immune cells of the brain, microglia and astrocytes. Microglia and astrocytes (and the immune system in general) have fascinated me for over 15 years. I studied bacterial brain infections and Alzheimer's disease before joining Oberlin College in 2016. Here, my research explores the role of the immune system during Alzheimer's disease. Students have measured microglia and astrocyte inflammation in an Alzheimer's disease model with and without T cells. Additionally, students have examined how microglia and astrocytes respond to different levels of hormones found in the brain during menopause.