معرفی
James Walton serves as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at West Virginia University School of Medicine and the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. His primary research examines circadian biology's intersection with neurological disorders, cancer progression, and immune function using rodent models with emphasis on sex differences and environmental light exposure.
Education
- PhD from The Ohio State University
Research Focus
Dr. Walton investigates how circadian disruptions—particularly light-at-night exposure—impact stroke outcomes, cognitive decline, and mammary cancer progression. His work demonstrates that altered light cycles induce neuroinflammation, impair microglial function, and worsen vascular dementia in aged models. He explores therapeutic applications of circadian timing in pharmacology and stroke recovery, with significant findings on sex-specific responses to circadian challenges.
Research Trends
Analysis of Walton's 15 most recent publications reveals dominant themes: circadian disruption mechanisms (73%), stroke/cognitive impairment models (60%), cancer chronobiology (40%), and sex-difference analyses (87%). His work increasingly integrates neuroimmunology (53% of recent papers) and architectural lighting solutions for healthcare environments, establishing critical links between environmental light exposure and pathological outcomes.
Research Support
- Alzheimer's Association grant: "Circadian Rhythms in Sundowning and Alzheimer's Disease"
- NIGMS Team Science project: "Sex Differences in Cognitive Recovery from Experimental Stroke" (collaborating with Drs. Shahrzad Latifi & Aminata Coulibaly)
Collaborative Infrastructure
As part of the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Walton co-leads a multidisciplinary team investigating circadian-stroke interactions. His lab maintains active collaborations with the Department of Neuroscience on microglial function studies and with oncology researchers examining time-of-day effects in cancer models, utilizing shared facilities for circadian phenotyping and neuroimaging.
