University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · NeuroscienceMultiple Sclerosis Disparities Research Lab
Nancy L Monson · Dallas, Texas
Research Focus
Dr. Nancy L. Monson's lab at UT Southwestern focuses on understanding how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects minority populations, particularly African Americans and Hispanics, who experience more severe disease progression compared to Whites. The lab investigates the role of immune responses, especially the expansion of specific immune cells called plasmablasts, in worsening the disease. The goal is to uncover mechanisms behind these disparities and develop better diagnostic and treatment strategies for MS in these populations.
Multiple Sclerosisminority healthimmunologyplasmablastsCNS inflammationneurotoxicitydisease progressionantibody responsemouse modelsneuron reactivity
Research Aims
5AIM 01Identify mechanisms of CNS inflammation in minority populations with MS.
AIM 02Investigate the role of plasmablasts in the progression of MS.
AIM 03Develop diagnostic tools for predicting MS outcomes.
AIM 04Understand the immune differences between racial groups affected by MS.
AIM 05Test interventions in mouse models to assess therapeutic efficacy.
Skills the Lab Values
flow cytometrymouse modelscell culturenext generation sequencingimmunohistochemistryantibody productionin vivo experimentationdata analysistissue processingclinical trial design
Output against the department
Publications208top 35% of dept.236th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.0kbottom 42% of dept.391st of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.