Valina Dawson

Valina Dawson is a Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Physiology at Johns Hopkins University, leading research into neuronal survival pathways and neurodegenerative diseases. Her work focuses on understanding mechanisms like Parthanatos, Parkinson's disease pathology, and neuroinflammation. She directs a lab employing cutting-edge techniques such as single-cell sequencing and advanced imaging.

Research Interests: Dr. Dawson explores cell signaling in neurodegeneration, particularly Parkinson's and stroke. Her lab investigates novel therapeutic targets, including c-Abl inhibitors and neuroprotective proteins like Iduna. They study astrocyte dysfunction and α-synuclein propagation, using human stem cells and transgenic models.

Articles Overview: Her recent work addresses neuroprotective strategies, autophagy assays, and molecular mechanisms of Parkinson's. Key themes include neuroinflammation, protein aggregation, and cell death pathways.

Advising & Grants: Her lab collaborates on high-throughput screens and computational biology. Funding supports projects on PARP-1 inhibition and glial biology.

Labs/Teams: Part of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering, her laboratory integrates multidisciplinary approaches to translate basic science into therapies.