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Monique F. Stins

Monique F. Stins, PhD

Highlights

Languages

  • English

Gender

Female

Johns Hopkins Affiliations:

  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty

About Monique F. Stins

Background

Dr. Stins studies how activation of the blood brain barrier (BBB) endothelium (lining of the blood vessels in the brain) by microbes can affect the underlying brain cells, such as astrocytes and neurons. She is particularly focused on the responses of BBB to Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes as occurs in cerebral malaria.

In contrast to most other microbes, in cerebral malaria, the Plasmodium parasite does not cross into the brain, but still causes coma and seizures. Upon treatment of malaria, neurologic sequelae can persist throughout life.

Dr. Stins is also interested in the effects of alcohol on the BBB endothelium and how this relates to astro-neuronal function. Her research focuses on the role that inflammation of the BBB and the resulting release of chemokines and growth factors towards the brain side of the blood vessels plays in the modulation of astroglial cells and neuronal function.

She participates in multiple national and international collaborations exploring microbial interactions and crossing of drugs into the central nervous system.

Centers and Institutes

Global Health, Center for

Clinical Trial Keywords

chemokine cytokine, blood brain barrier endothelium, Plasmodium, hiv-1 gp120 tat

Additional Academic Titles

Joint Appointment in Neurology

Research Interests

Blood brain barrier endothelium, Chemokine, Cytokine, Plasmodium

Research Summary

Blood brain barrier endothelium’s relation to neurological dysfunction

Selected Publications

    1. A restricted subset of var genes mediates adherence of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes to brain endothelial cells. Avril M, Tripathi AK, Brazier AJ, Andisi C, Janes JH, Soma VL, Sullivan DJ Jr, Bull PC, Stins MF, Smith JD. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 26;109(26):E1782-90. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1120534109. Epub 2012 May 22. PMID: 22619321
    2. Delivering minocycline into brain endothelial cells with liposome-based technology. Xing C, Levchenko T, Guo S, Stins M, Torchilin VP, Lo EH. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2012 Jun;32(6):983-8. doi: 10.1038/jcbfm.2012.48. Epub 2012 Apr 11. PMID: 22491155
    3. Amplification of P. falciparum Cytoadherence through induction of a pro-adhesive state in host endothelium. Wu Y, Szestak T, Stins M, Craig AG. PLoS One. 2011;6(10):e24784. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024784. Epub 2011 Oct 17. PMID: 22043276
    4. How can microbial interactions with the blood-brain barrier modulate astroglial and neuronal function? Grab DJ, Chakravorty SJ, van der Heyde H, Stins MF. Cell Microbiol. 2011 Oct;13(10):1470-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2011.01661.x. Epub 2011 Sep 6. Review. PMID: 21824246
    5. The relevance of non-human primate and rodent malaria models for humans. Langhorne J, Buffet P, Galinski M, Good M, Harty J, Leroy D, Mota MM, Pasini E, Renia L, Riley E, Stins M, Duffy P. Malar J. 2011 Feb 2;10(1):23. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-23. PMID:21288352

Memberships

  • America Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
  • American Association for Microbiology
  • American Heart Association
  • Society for Immune Pharmacology
  • Society for Neuroscience