Michelle L. Olsen

Michelle L. Olsen is a Professor and Director of the School of Neuroscience at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg, VA). She holds a PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and leads research projects investigating astrocyte biology in central nervous system (CNS) function and disease. Her lab focuses on astrocyte contributions to CNS development, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, and neurodevelopmental disorders using electrophysiology, imaging, and molecular techniques.

• PhD: Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Current affiliation: School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech
• Research areas: Astrocyte biology, CNS disorders, Epigenetics, Synaptic maturation

Her recent publications highlight cross-disciplinary work spanning Neuroscience and Epigenetics, with specific subfields including astrocyte transcriptomics, neuroinflammation, and ion channel function. She has trained 3 graduate students (2 PhD, 1 accelerated MS) and currently oversees 4 PhD candidates and 1 postdoctoral fellow. Teaching responsibilities include Introduction to Neuroscience, Mechanisms of Learning and Memory, and Fundamentals of Cellular Neuroscience. Lab projects address astrocyte roles in health, aging, Rett syndrome, and anesthesia.