Adrian Michael

Adrian Michael is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. His research develops advanced analytical tools for real-time neurochemical monitoring, focusing on microelectrodes and microdialysis techniques to study dopamine neurotransmission in the central nervous system under normal and pathological conditions.

Research innovations include:

• Dexamethasone-enhanced microdialysis to mitigate penetration injury and inflammation
• Miniaturized SU-8 polymer probes with microelectrode arrays
• Real-time detection of dopamine kinetics in striatal microdomains
• Voltammetric mapping of neurotransmitter diffusion parameters
• High-temporal-resolution online chromatography for neurometabolic monitoring

His group has demonstrated that dopamine neurotransmission exhibits region-specific kinetics in striatal compartments, influencing drug actions and plasticity. Recent work optimizes probe biocompatibility through pharmacological strategies and materials engineering.

Applications span basic neuroscience, traumatic brain injury monitoring, and neurodegenerative disease research.