Oliver Bracko, PhD
Oliver Bracko, PhD
Research Asst. ProfessorResearch Asst. Professor
Department of Biology
University of Miami
Research Asst. Professor
Department of Biology
University of Miami
Cox Science Building Room 231
1301 Memorial Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Email: oliver.bracko@miami.edu
Dr. Bracko was born in Germany and studied at the University of Tübingen. He received his Ph.D. from the ETH Zürich in Switzerland and did his postdoc at Cornell University under the mentorship of Chris Schaffer. His previous research was focused on adult neuronal stem cells and the impact of stroke on cognitive function.
The lab’s research focuses on brain blood flow reductions and their contribution to dementia. Our previous study has shown that immune cells block the smallest blood vessels of the brain, the capillaries, and these obstructions are increased in Alzheimer’s models. These capillary obstructions are likely caused by inflammation within the vessels and changes in the blood-brain barrier. Both phenomena are shown to be associated with patients with dementia.
The lab uses high-temporal and high-resolution in vivo multi-photon imaging to understand the immune system’s interactions with the microvasculature in neurodegenerative diseases.
