UOHUniversity of Oklahoma-Health Sciences Center · Microbiology & Immunology
Nerve Immune Interactions Lab
Maureen Cox · Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Research Focus
Dr. Maureen Cox's lab is focused on understanding the relationship between the nervous and immune systems, particularly how adrenergic nerves influence immune memory and responses during infections. By studying how these nerves interact with T cells and stromal cells in lymph nodes, the lab aims to uncover mechanisms that can improve vaccine design and immune treatment strategies for patients with peripheral nerve damage. This research holds potential significance in enhancing the immune responses for individuals who are particularly vulnerable to infections.
adrenergic nervesimmune memoryT cellsB cellsinfectionslymph nodesvaccine designnerve damageimmunityneurotransmitters
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the role of adrenergic nerves in promoting CD4 T cell memory.
AIM 02Determine how adrenergic nerves influence stromal cell remodeling in lymph nodes.
AIM 03Evaluate the impact of nerve signaling on large antigen accessibility to lymph nodes.
AIM 04Assess transcriptional changes in T cells and stromal cells due to adrenergic signaling.
AIM 05Explore new pathways to enhance immune responses in patients with peripheral nervous system damage.
Skills the Lab Values
T cell cultureB cell assaysimmunohistochemistrycell signaling analysistranscriptional profilingflow cytometryin vivo modelsin vitro studiesimmune response assaysmetabolic reprogramming
Output against the department
Publications45bottom 8% of dept.445th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations3.6kbottom 26% of dept.358th of 486
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.