Welcome to the Bearden Lab
The Bearden lab at the University of Rochester studies neurogenetic disorders and infectious or inflammatory conditions affecting the nervous system. Our research has two main areas. We investigate the epidemiology and optimal treatments of genetic disorders, with a particular interest in KCNT1-related epilepsy and ZC4H2-associated Rare Disorder (ZARD). In addition, we study neurologic complications of common infectious disorders such as HIV, and evaluate the epidemiology of neurologic disorders in resource-limited settings. We utilize a variety of techniques including advanced brain imaging, cytokine mapping, flow cytometry, quantitative geographic information systems, and novel predictive modeling techniques. The Bearden lab has several long-term collaborative projects in Zambia and elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa.