Steve W. Barger

Steve W. Barger is a Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) with joint appointments in Geriatrics, Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, and Internal Medicine within the College of Medicine. His research focuses on neuronal death mechanisms, particularly excitotoxicity, and protective gene expression changes in neurodegenerative contexts.

• Education: Ph.D. in Cell Biology (1992) from Vanderbilt University

Dr. Barger's primary research interests include Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, microglial activation, transcription factor dynamics, and oxidative stress in neuronal survival. His work examines how pathological insults trigger gene expression changes and how neuroprotective agents counteract these effects.

His publications span molecular neuroscience, neuroinflammation, and neurodegenerative disease mechanisms. Key themes include microglial excitotoxicity, NF-kB regulation, and interactions between amyloid-beta proteins and neuronal survival pathways.

Dr. Barger leads a laboratory that investigates the role of microglia in Alzheimer's disease, focusing on glutamate release mechanisms, oxidative stress, and synaptic dysfunction. His team has identified critical transcription factors and metabolic pathways involved in neuroprotection.