Michelle Hook

Michelle Hook, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the neurobiological and physiological consequences of spinal cord injury (SCI), with an emphasis on opioid-induced recovery impairment, depression/cognitive deficits, and bone loss. She holds a PhD from the University of New England (1998).

Education:

• PhD in Neuroscience, University of New England, 1998

Research Interests:

Dr. Hook’s lab investigates three core areas: (1) adverse effects of opioids (e.g., morphine, oxycodone) on SCI recovery mechanisms, including glial activation and neuronal death; (2) sex-dependent depression and cognitive deficits post-SCI, linking inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., cytokines, neurogenesis) to behavioral outcomes; and (3) sympathetic nervous system-driven bone loss via osteocyte dysfunction and marrow niche changes. Her work combines rodent models with translational strategies to identify adjuvants for opioid therapy, neuroprotective interventions, and bone preservation therapies.

Key Contributions:

• Discovered that kappa opioid receptor antagonism mitigates morphine’s detrimental effects on SCI recovery
• Validated novel methods to assess depression-like behavior in SCI rats
• Identified osteocyte inflammation as a driver of post-SCI osteoporosis

Future Directions:

Expanding studies on gut-brain interactions in post-injury mood disorders, optimizing chemogenetic tools to modulate pain pathways, and developing implantable closed-loop systems for gait rehabilitation.