Greg Gerhardt

Dr. Greg Gerhardt is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Kentucky's College of Medicine. He serves as regular faculty and holds affiliations with the MD/PhD Program (Internal Advisory Committee and Mentor), SCOBIRC - Faculty Associates, and the Morris K. Udall Parkinson’s Disease Center of Excellence (now the Brain Restoration Center). His laboratory focuses on neuropharmacology, particularly dopamine and glutamate neurotransmitter systems in Parkinson’s disease and aging. Research includes microsensor technology development for neurotransmitter measurement, GDNF-based therapies, and age-related neurochemical changes.

Research Interests: Dr. Gerhardt’s work spans dynamic neuropharmacology, Parkinson’s disease pathophysiology, and aging neuroscience. His lab develops cutting-edge microsensor technology (5-30 μm) to study neurotransmitter dynamics in real-time. Key areas include dopamine regulation disruption in Parkinson’s, GDNF’s role in neuronal restoration, and age-related changes in dopamine transporter function. Recent studies explore peripheral nerve regeneration strategies and neurotrophic factor applications.

Publications Overview: Recent work includes 2024 studies on peripheral nerve biology and 2023 clinical rating scale visualization. Earlier contributions (2004-2005) focused on GDNF clinical trials, neurotransmitter sensor tech, and Parkinson’s animal models. Themes highlight translational research between neurochemistry and clinical applications.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Gerhardt Lab within the Center for Microelectrode Technology. Collaborates with the Brain Restoration Center and international teams on neuroregenerative strategies.