Staci Bilbo

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Staci Bilbo
StaciBilbo.jpg
NationalityAmerican
Alma materB.A. University of Texas at Austin, M.A. and Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University, Postdoctoral work University of Colorado
Known forNeonatal infection primes microglia
Scientific career
FieldsNeuroimmunology
InstitutionsDuke University

Staci Bilbo is an American neuroimmunologist and The Haley Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University. Bilbo also holds a position as a research affiliate at Massachusetts General Hospital overseeing research within the Lurie Center for Autism. As the principal investigator of the Bilbo Lab, Bilbo investigates how environmental challenges during the perinatal period impact the immune system and further influence brain development, cognition, and affective behaviors later in life..

Contents

Education

Bilbo completed her undergraduate degree in psychology and biology at the University of Texas at Austin. [1] She received her Bachelor of Arts in 1998, graduating with high honors. [1] While Bilbo was at UT Austin, she conducted research on the role of the cholinergic system in learning in frogs. [2]

After her undergraduate degree, Bilbo joined the lab of Randy Nelson at Johns Hopkins University. [3] Bilbo completed her master's degree in 2000 and continued on to complete a PhD in Neuroendocrinology in Nelson's lab. [3]  

Bilbo's graduate work was largely involving the importance of social and environmental factors in the regulation of sex specific and seasonal changes in immune response. [4] She published a paper how immune signalling influenced partner preferences in prairie voles in 1999, [5] and another on how sex hormones impact immune function in male and female Siberian Hamsters in 2001. [6] In 2002, Bilbo published a first author paper in the Proceedings of the Royal Society showing the effect of shortening photoperiods on the immune response of Siberian hamsters. [7] Following this finding, Bilbo explored how photoperiods predict environmental conditions and immune trafficking in anticipation of infection. [8] In 2002 Bilbo published a paper on the importance of melatonin in regulating immune response. [9] In 2003, Bilbo published a paper on the sex differences in immune responses to photoperiod modulation. [4]

Career and research

After completing her graduate work, Bilbo pursued her postdoctoral work in neuroimmunology at the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado in 2003. [3] Her research work here was concerned with the effects of neonatal bacterial infection on memory impairment in adult rats. [10] [11] [12] [13] In 2007, Bilbo was appointed to assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. [14] Bilbo remained on the faculty at Duke, leading the Developmental Neuroimmunology Lab until 2016. [15] During her time at Duke, Bilbo investigated neuroimmune interactions in brain development, [1] [16] and the effect of neonatal infection on glial cell biology and immune functions later in life. [17] [18]

In 2016, Bilbo joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School and became the Lurie Family Associate Professor of Pediatric and Neuroscience as well as the director of research for the Lurie Center for Autism at the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. [15] During this time she did research on the effect of adolescent exposure to morphine on long-term microglial gene expression. [19] [20] She also studied the effect of environmental pollutant exposure during critical periods of prenatal development on metabolic, behavioral, and neuroinflammatory developments in adult offspring. [21] [22] In 2018, Bilbo and her lab studied the role of microglia in the regulation of social behavior in adolescent rats. [23] Following these findings, Bilbo wrote a review paper highlighting the understudied connections between the immune system, social behavior, and dopaminergic circuitry. [24]

Bilbo returned to Duke in July 2019 to hold the title of Haley Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience while still collaborating with the Lurie Center and other researchers in Boston. [10]

Bilbo remains active in the scientific community as an editorial board member for Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, an invited journal editor for Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, and as a previous guest editor for Hormones and Behavior. [25]  Bilbo is also actively involved in outreach in the Duke community and recently gave a talk geared towards raising the visibility of female scientists and to encourage female participation in STEM. [26]

Awards and honors

Select publications

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Staci D. Bilbo | Duke Psychology & Neuroscience". psychandneuro.duke.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  2. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D; Day, Lainy B; Wilczynski, Walter (2000-05-01). "Anticholinergic effects in frogs in a Morris water maze analog". Physiology & Behavior. 69 (3): 351–357. doi:10.1016/S0031-9384(99)00251-6. ISSN   0031-9384. PMID   10869602. S2CID   1147261.
  3. 1 2 3 "Lurie Center Welcomes Director of Research: Staci Bilbo". Massachusetts General Hospital. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  4. 1 2 Bilbo, S. D.; Dhabhar, F. S.; Viswanathan, K.; Saul, A.; Nelson, R. J. (2003-11-01). "Photoperiod affects the expression of sex and species differences in leukocyte number and leukocyte trafficking in congeneric hamsters". Psychoneuroendocrinology. 28 (8): 1027–1043. doi:10.1016/S0306-4530(02)00122-1. ISSN   0306-4530. PMID   14529706. S2CID   32316.
  5. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D.; Klein, Sabra L.; DeVries, A. Courtney; Nelson, Randy J. (1999-12-01). "Lipopolysaccharide facilitates partner preference behaviors in female prairie voles". Physiology & Behavior. 68 (1): 151–156. doi:10.1016/S0031-9384(99)00154-7. ISSN   0031-9384. PMID   10627074. S2CID   9470068.
  6. ↑ Bilbo, S. D.; Nelson, R. J. (January 2001). "Sex steroid hormones enhance immune function in male and female Siberian hamsters". American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. 280 (1): R207–213. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.2001.280.1.R207. ISSN   0363-6119. PMID   11124153. S2CID   38195060.
  7. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D.; Drazen, Deborah L.; Quan, Ning; He, Lingli; Nelson, Randy J. (2002-03-07). "Short day lengths attenuate the symptoms of infection in Siberian hamsters". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences. 269 (1490): 447–454. doi:10.1098/rspb.2001.1915. PMC   1690914 . PMID   11886635.
  8. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D.; Dhabhar, Firdaus S.; Viswanathan, Kavitha; Saul, Alison; Yellon, Steven M.; Nelson, Randy J. (2002-03-19). "Short day lengths augment stress-induced leukocyte trafficking and stress-induced enhancement of skin immune function". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 99 (6): 4067–4072. Bibcode:2002PNAS...99.4067B. doi: 10.1073/pnas.062001899 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   122649 . PMID   11904451.
  9. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D.; Nelson, Randy J. (2002-07-01). "Melatonin Regulates Energy Balance and Attenuates Fever in Siberian Hamsters". Endocrinology. 143 (7): 2527–2533. doi: 10.1210/endo.143.7.8922 . ISSN   0013-7227. PMID   12072384.
  10. 1 2 "Bilbo Lab". Bilbo Lab. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  11. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D.; Rudy, Jerry W.; Watkins, Linda R.; Maier, Steven F. (2006-04-25). "A behavioural characterization of neonatal infection-facilitated memory impairment in adult rats". Behavioural Brain Research. 169 (1): 39–47. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2005.12.002. ISSN   0166-4328. PMID   16413067. S2CID   41934647.
  12. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D.; Barrientos, Ruth M.; Eads, Andrea S.; Northcutt, Alexis; Watkins, Linda R.; Rudy, Jerry W.; Maier, Steven F. (2008-05-01). "Early-life infection leads to altered BDNF and IL-1β mRNA expression in rat hippocampus following learning in adulthood". Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 22 (4): 451–455. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2007.10.003. ISSN   0889-1591. PMID   17997277. S2CID   24114395.
  13. ↑ Bilbo, Staci D.; Yirmiya, Raz; Amat, Jose; Paul, Evan D.; Watkins, Linda R.; Maier, Steven F. (2008-04-01). "Bacterial infection early in life protects against stressor-induced depressive-like symptoms in adult rats". Psychoneuroendocrinology. 33 (3): 261–269. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.11.008. ISSN   0306-4530. PMC   2274778 . PMID   18164556.
  14. ↑ "Staci Bilbo wins Neuroscience Award". today.duke.edu. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  15. 1 2 "Staci Bilbo, Ph.D". Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  16. ↑ Schwarz, Jaclyn M.; Sholar, Paige W.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2012). "Sex differences in microglial colonization of the developing rat brain". Journal of Neurochemistry. 120 (6): 948–963. doi:10.1111/j.1471-4159.2011.07630.x. ISSN   1471-4159. PMC   3296888 . PMID   22182318.
  17. ↑ Bland, Sondra T.; Beckley, Jacob T.; Watkins, Linda R.; Maier, Steven F.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2010-04-19). "Neonatal Escherichia coli infection alters glial, cytokine, and neuronal gene expression in response to acute amphetamine in adolescent rats". Neuroscience Letters. 474 (1): 52–57. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2010.03.006. ISSN   0304-3940. PMC   2865898 . PMID   20223277.
  18. ↑ Williamson, Lauren L.; Sholar, Paige W.; Mistry, Rishi S.; Smith, Susan H.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2011-10-26). "Microglia and Memory: Modulation by Early-Life Infection". Journal of Neuroscience. 31 (43): 15511–15521. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3688-11.2011 . ISSN   0270-6474. PMC   3224817 . PMID   22031897.
  19. ↑ Schwarz, Jaclyn M.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2013-01-16). "Adolescent Morphine Exposure Affects Long-Term Microglial Function and Later-Life Relapse Liability in a Model of Addiction". Journal of Neuroscience. 33 (3): 961–971. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2516-12.2013 . ISSN   0270-6474. PMC   3713715 . PMID   23325235.
  20. ↑ Lacagnina, Michael J.; Kopec, Ashley M.; Cox, Stewart S.; Hanamsagar, Richa; Wells, Corinne; Slade, Susan; Grace, Peter M.; Watkins, Linda R.; Levin, Edward D.; Bilbo, Staci D. (October 2017). "Opioid Self-Administration is Attenuated by Early-Life Experience and Gene Therapy for Anti-Inflammatory IL-10 in the Nucleus Accumbens of Male Rats". Neuropsychopharmacology. 42 (11): 2128–2140. doi: 10.1038/npp.2017.82 . ISSN   1740-634X. PMC   5603817 . PMID   28436446.
  21. ↑ Bolton, Jessica L.; Auten, Richard L.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2014-03-01). "Prenatal air pollution exposure induces sexually dimorphic fetal programming of metabolic and neuroinflammatory outcomes in adult offspring". Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 37: 30–44. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2013.10.029. ISSN   0889-1591. PMID   24184474. S2CID   28164481.
  22. ↑ Bolton, Jessica L.; Marinero, Steven; Hassanzadeh, Tania; Natesan, Divya; Le, Dominic; Belliveau, Christine; Mason, S. N.; Auten, Richard L.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2017). "Gestational Exposure to Air Pollution Alters Cortical Volume, Microglial Morphology, and Microglia-Neuron Interactions in a Sex-Specific Manner". Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience. 9: 10. doi: 10.3389/fnsyn.2017.00010 . ISSN   1663-3563. PMC   5449437 . PMID   28620294.
  23. ↑ Kopec, Ashley M.; Smith, Caroline J.; Ayre, Nathan R.; Sweat, Sean C.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2018-09-25). "Microglial dopamine receptor elimination defines sex-specific nucleus accumbens development and social behavior in adolescent rats". Nature Communications. 9 (1): 3769. Bibcode:2018NatCo...9.3769K. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06118-z . ISSN   2041-1723. PMC   6156594 . PMID   30254300.
  24. ↑ Kopec, Ashley M.; Smith, Caroline J.; Bilbo, Staci D. (2019-05-01). "Neuro-Immune Mechanisms Regulating Social Behavior: Dopamine as Mediator?". Trends in Neurosciences. 42 (5): 337–348. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2019.02.005. ISSN   0166-2236. PMC   6486862 . PMID   30890276.
  25. ↑ "Microglia - Brain's first responders" (PDF). Dana Foundation Podcast Transcript. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  26. ↑ "A Day of STEM for Girls". Research Blog. 2020-03-10. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  27. ↑ "Bass Connections Team Leader. Brain and Society Theme. | Scholars@Duke". scholars.duke.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  28. ↑ "Glenn Hatton Lecture". Center for Glial-Neuronal Interactions. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  29. ↑ "Frank Beach Young Investigator Award. Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. | Scholars@Duke". scholars.duke.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  30. ↑ "Robert Ader New Investigator Award. PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society. | Scholars@Duke". scholars.duke.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  31. ↑ "DIBS Research Incubator Award. Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. | Scholars@Duke". scholars.duke.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  32. ↑ "Staci Bilbo | Harvard Catalyst Profiles | Harvard Catalyst". connects.catalyst.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
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