Leon Tai, PhD
Associate Professor
Anatomy & Cell Biology
567B CME
808 South Wood Street
Chicago, IL 60612
312 996 2296
leontai@uic.edu
CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS
Throughout the human body there are specialized, dynamic and complex cellular barriers: the blood-nerve barrier, blood-spinal cord barrier and blood-brain barrier. These barrier interfaces play a central role in homeostasis and neuronal function, through preventing the uptake of unwanted molecules, removing waste products, supplying essential nutrients and signaling molecules, and modulating inflammation. Our goal is to identify and therapeutically target mechanistic pathways that underlie barrier and neuronal dysfunction in aging and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, chronic pain, ALS and metabolic dysfunction.