Meet the members of the Hydrocephalus Research Center.
Bonnie Blazer-Yost, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology, IU Indianapolis
Director, Hydrocephalus Research Center
Prof. Blazer-Yost is a transport physiologist whose main research interest is the regulation of epithelial ion transport particularly in response to stimuli such as hormones and other effectors. Her laboratory studied polycystic kidney disease (PKD) particularly the mechanisms underlying the growth of cysts. In the PKD field, she has experience in taking a potential drug treatment (PPARg agonists) from an initial observation in cultured cell studies, through animal models and into a human clinical trial for which she was a Co-PI. Currently, the focus of this laboratory is studying the mechanisms of hydrocephalic development in a variety of preclinical models with a view to developing a drug treatment for hydrocephalus. She is the corresponding PI of two large DoD grants supporting preclinical drug development for hydrocephalus.
Teri Belecky-Adams, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology, IU Indianapolis
Dr. Belecky-Adams is a vision biologist specializing in retinal health and disease. Dr. Belecky-Adams is an expert in factors that trigger astrogliosis and microgliosis in retinal disease and determining a role for inflammation in diabetic retinopathy. Her laboratory has discovered the role of a cilia protein in photoreceptor development and degeneration using the rapidly progressing Tmem67-/- rat hydrocephalus model. She is using preclinical rat models of hydrocephalus to study papilledema and vision problems associated with the disease.
Yanping Zhang
Yanping Zhang received her M.S degree in laboratory technology. She now works as a research technologist in Bonnie Laboratory.
Christine Hehnly, Ph.D
My research focuses on how immune signaling within the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shapes brain development and responses to injury. Traditionally viewed as a passive fluid, CSF is now recognized as a dynamic signaling environment that regulates communication between the immune system and the developing brain. Central to this process is the choroid plexus, the epithelial tissue that produces CSF and serves as a critical neuroimmune interface between the blood, CSF, and brain.
Our laboratory investigates how immune pathways within the CSF are regulated across development and disease, with a particular focus on hydrocephalus, neonatal infection, and inflammatory brain injury. By integrating functional genomics, imaging, experimental models, and patient-derived samples, we aim to identify conserved mechanisms that drive neuroinflammation and long-term neurological dysfunction.
Current research directions include:
- Defining developmental and disease-associated regulation of CSF immune signaling
- Identifying immune mechanisms underlying hydrocephalus and postinfectious brain injury
- Discovering biomarkers and therapeutic targets for neuroinflammatory disorders
- Developing strategies to therapeutically reprogram immune cells within the CSF-brain niche
Ultimately, our goal is to translate fundamental insights into neuroimmune communication into precision diagnostics and therapies that improve outcomes for infants and children at risk of inflammatory brain injury and hydrocephalus.
Alexandra Hochstetler, Ph.D
I am a translational neuroscientist whose research focuses on understanding how signals secreted by the choroid plexus into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) regulate brain development and contribute to neurological injury. My work investigates how CSF signals influence white matter maturation and neural circuit formation in the developing brain. My current research is directed toward identifying CSF signaling pathways that drive white matter injury and hydrocephalus following neonatal brain insults such as intraventricular hemorrhage, infection, and trauma. My research program pairs studies in cell culture and rat models with translational validation in large-animal (pig) models of neonatal brain injury. Through these efforts, we are developing clinically relevant platforms that enable longitudinal imaging, molecular profiling, and therapeutic testing in gyrencephalic brains. These models provide an essential bench-to-bedside bridge.
Sarah Connors, B.S., MBA
Born and raised in Greenwood, IN, Sarah attended Purdue University where she earned her Bachelor’s in Animal Sciences then went on to attend Anderson University, earning her Master’s in Business Administration in the summer of 2022. Sarah now works as the manager of the Hydrocephalus Research Center. Her role in the lab is to review the budgets and other administrative things.
Hamid Aboutalebkadkhodaeian, Ph.D.
Hamid is an anatomist and recieved his Ph.D in anatomical science from Tarbiat Modares University in Iran. He also has experience as an assistant professor in medicine. Hamid's research focus was on in vitro and in vivo mechanism of retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cell replacement therapy in AMD animal model. In the Indiana University, Biology department he is working on mechanisms of retinal papilledema related to hydrocephalous using animal models.
Verayna Newland
Verayna received her B.S. in Biology from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in 2022. She is now a Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Blazer-Yost's lab studying how ion channels and transporters on the choroid plexus epithelium contribute to cerebrospinal fluid production.
Awards and recognitions:
- Graduate and Professional Education Grant (2025)
- American Physiology Society Cell & Molecular Physiology Section Research Recognition Award (2025)
- IU Creveling Award (2025)
- Hydrocephalus Association Next Generation Travel Award (2024)
Audrey Kruse
Audrey completed a B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology from Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis. Recently awarded with a University Fellowship, she is now pursuing a PhD in Biology under the direction of Dr. Bonnie Blazer-Yost at Indiana University Indianapolis. Currently, her research is focused on epiplexus immune cells of the choroid plexus and their role in the development of hydrocephalus and neuroinflammation across different models of the disease (genetic and induced hydrocephalus).
Asma Sobhani, M.S.
Asma Sobhani earned her Master’s degree in Genetics, where her research focused on neuroinflammation and GPCR signaling in Alzheimer’s disease. Her previous work sparked a strong interest in understanding how immune signaling influences brain development and neurological injury. She will be joining the Biology graduate program in the laboratory of Dr. Christine Hehnly, where she is excited to study neuroimmune signaling and mechanisms underlying hydrocephalus-related brain injury.
Fatemeh Omidi Bidgoli
Fatemeh is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biotechnology at Kharazmi University in Tehran, Iran. Her research, conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Bonnie Blazer-Yost, centers on developing novel pharmacological treatments for hydrocephalus, aiming to avoid surgical methods.
Nasim Shafiee Nejad
Nasim holds a Bachelor degree in Cell and Molecular Biology. She joined Dr. Belecky-Adam's lab as a Master's student in 2023. She is currently a Ph.D. student and her current research is focused on papilledema associated with hydrocephalus.
David Audu, Ph.D.
David earned his bachelor's degree in Zoology from the University of Jos in Nigeria. He pursued his master's and doctoral degrees in Zoology, specializing in Animal Physiology, at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Nigeria. In his postdoctoral research at Prof Bonnie's lab is to explore potential drug treatments for hydrocephalus.
Maryam Torabi
Maryam completed her B.S. in Animal Biology at Arak university in Iran and M.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology at University of Science and Research in Iran. She is currently a PhD candidate in Dr. Blazer-Yost's laboratory. Her research focuses on the effects of cytokines in causing inflammation in hydrocephalus and studying new drug approaches to find sustainable treatment.
Gowthami Mahendran, Ph.D.
Gowthami earned her bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, before completing her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. Her doctoral research focused on multi-omics approaches to study Miller–Dieker syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at HRC, where her work explores phosphoproteomic changes associated with TRPV4 modulation, aiming to uncover biomarkers that can support therapeutic development using omics approach.
Jane Obiako, M.S.
Jane earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria, and her master’s degree in Human Anatomy from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where she was first introduced to hydrocephalus research. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology at the Hydrocephalus Research Center at Indiana University Indianapolis under the supervision of Prof. Bonnie Blazer-Yost. Her research focuses on the development and characterization of a novel rodent model of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), as well as the investigation of non-surgical therapeutic strategies for hydrocephalus.
Amber Zack
Amber completed her B.S. in General Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is currently a PhD student in Dr. Belecky-Adams’ laboratory. Her research focuses on papilledema associated with hydrocephalus and disrupted circa circadian rhythms as a result of the loss of retinal ganglion cells.
Nafisa Mohammad
Nafisa Mohammed is a third-year biology major at IU Indianapolis, working in Dr. Bonnie Blazer-Yost’s lab under the mentorship of Dr. Gowthami Mahendran. Her research focuses on identifying TRPV4 interacting partners and associated protein complexes in human choroid plexus epithelial cells using immunoprecipitation techniques.
Ryan Ford
Ryan is a junior Biology major at Indiana University Indianapolis and a current Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) fellow. He is preparing for medical school, with a strong interest in advancing his training in the biomedical sciences. In the Blazer-Yost laboratory, in collaboration with Jane Obiako, his research focuses on characterizing a model of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), with particular emphasis on gait abnormalities as part of the clinical symptom triad. Through this work, he aims to better understand the motor impairments associated with NPH and the underlying mechanisms driving these deficits.
Ola Oladeji
Ola is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology, and a current Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) fellow. She is passionate about understanding how the brain influences behavior, cognition, and overall functioning. With plans to pursue a PhD in Neuropsychology or a closely related field, she is closely working with Jane Obiako in the Blazer-Yost lab to characterize a model of normal pressure hydrocephalus with focus on the cognitive dysfunction and treatment outcomes. Through this project, she aims to examine how hydrocephalus affects learning, memory, and cognitive dysfunction associated with NPH and how treatment can improve these outcomes.
Cameryn Davis
Cameryn is a third-year undergraduate at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She is double majoring in Chemistry and Biology and is a current research fellow of UROP. In Dr. Blazer-Yost's laboratory, she focuses on choroid plexus epithelium ion channels using Ussing-Chamber electrophysiology.
Lauren Jantzie, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Jantzie is a neuroscientist and neuropharmacologist dedicated to the pathophysiology of brain injury and its sequela. She is an expert in neural-immune communication and inflammatory signal transduction. In addition to studying neurorestoration in hydrocephalus, her lab is examining the intersection of brain and peripheral inflammation and immune activation. Together with high-resolution neuroimaging of functional and anatomical connectivity, and touchscreen cognitive assessment, she uses a sophisticated clinical biomarker detection and identification platform in her work to quantify inflammatory proteins in biological fluids and tissues.
Shenandoah Robinson, M.D.
Professor of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University
PI of projects 1 and 3
Dr. Robinson is a pediatric neurosurgeon who cares for children and adults with hydrocephalus. She is internationally recognized as an expert in posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus and consequences of brain injury, including trauma. Dr. Robinson brings extensive expertise in development of clinically relevant brain injury models, oligodendrocyte biology and mechanism of brain injury and repair. Her research on neurorepair with erythropoietin (EPO) provided mechanistic support for the translation of EPO into clinical trials for preterm infants. Dr. Robinson is also an expert in cell culture explant biology, unbiased stereology, and behavioral testing. She is PI of a PRMRP award and an Expansion Award exploring treatment of acquired symptomatic hydrocephalus.
R. Timothy Bentley, BVSc, MRCVS
Associate Professor, Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Bentley is a veterinary neurosurgeon with a specialty in intracranial surgery. He was instrumental in developing a porcine experimental model of post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus, and subsequently performing in vivo studies to evaluate a novel ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. He also leads a brain tumor research program, using spontaneous brain tumors in pet dogs as a model of human glioblastoma. He also conducts studies on the application of MRI in the diagnosis of brain tumors and hydrocephalus.
Scott Mitchell, MD
Scott Mitchell has studied biochemistry at Bowdoin College, biomedical engineering at Dartmouth College, medical school at University of Vermont and currently a senior neurosurgery resident at IU School of Medicine. He has research interest in hydrocephalus and is clinically pursuing pediatric and endovascular neurosurgery. He is actively involved in the development of small and large animal models of post hemorrhagic hydrocephalus with Dr. Blazer-Yost.
Gregory Knipp, Ph.D.
Dr. Knipp's laboratory is dedicated to the utilization of new and improved models for assessing pharmaceutical performance. The laboratory's research interests include preclinical in vitro and in vivo ADMET screening, physicochemical characterization, early formulation development, and performing pharmacokinetic studies of new and traditional chemical entities. His laboratory has been recently focused on the development of a novel, direct contact human blood brain barrier triculture model for screening permeability-linked neuroactivity. Cultured in the presence of neurons, this flexible platform in vitro model has been applied to assess neurotoxicity and screening compounds with an observed neurotherapeutic/neurotoxic effect.
Robyn McCain, B.S., RLATg
Robyn received her B.S. in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University. She has been the manager of the Purdue Translational Pharmacology Unit since 2010. Robyn was previously employed with Bioanalytical Systems Incorporated for 12 years where she developed most of the rodent catheters and surgical procedures for the Culex Automated Blood Sampling System and the Culex-L pigturn units. She is the only user of the Pigturn/Culex-L units and has trained many of the top 10 large pharma in use of the Culex rodent units. Prior to joining BASi she worked for the University of Memphis in the Biomedical Engineering group doing work in Cardiac Electrophysiology as well as assisting researchers at St. Jude Children's hospital in areas of cancer research.
Dr. Alexa Bramall
As an assistant professor of neurosurgery working in adult hydrocephalus, my research focuses on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways in the brain and the mechanisms by which hydrocephalus develops. In addition to intersecting every area of neurosurgery from pediatrics to trauma, abnormalities in CSF physiology have been implicated in a multitude of neurological diseases, from Alzheimer’s disease to depression.
My basic science research involves identifying the mechanisms of intracranial pressure regulation by choroid plexus epithelial cells. The lab uses genetic mouse models to explore important genes and/or proteins involved in CSF regulation. Our goal is to develop novel, long lasting and minimally invasive strategies to diagnose and treat CSF flow disorders.
Dr. Yun (David) Yung
Assistant Professor Yun (David) Yung earned his dual AB degrees in Molecular Cell Biology and Cognitive Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, San Diego. He subsequently continued his research at Scripps Research and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute prior to joining both The Scintillon Research Institute in San Diego and The Hydrocephalus Research Center (HRC) at Indiana University. Dr. Yung’s research in numerous fields has led to key discoveries. First, bioactive lipids released during bleeding can cause fetal and neonatal forms of hydrocephalus in children and such pathways can be preventatively or therapeutically modulated for potential non-invasive treatments for hydrocephalus. His lab currently works closely with other investigators at the HRC as part of the DoD-funded consortium to examine novel hydrocephalus models, pathways, and therapeutics. Second, the development and use of single nuclei sequencing methodologies, including isolation of cell nuclei, RNAseq, and barcoding probes, can provide sufficient information to identify cell types of the brain; this strategy can be used for many tissues in the body and is a foundational approach for numerous single cell discovery and diagnostic efforts. Third, altered genomics exist in normal brain cells and further imbalances can be linked mechanistically to neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. Finally, Professor Yung’s focus extends to translational medical studies on iPSCs and their use in the treatment of disorders such as type 1 diabetes, neuroinflammation, and generalized aging using mRNA-based directed differentiated iPSCs into specific cell types and using partial reprogramming for cellular rejuvenation.
Spencer Patterson
Spencer is a third year undergraduate student majoring in neuroscience. In Dr. Belecky-Adams lab, he is currently working with and assisting Umanga Poudel with the ongoing research into the role of TAK1 in diabetic retinopathy.
Jack Reinoehl
Jack is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Biology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He obtained his B.S. in Biology from the University of Cincinnati. He is currently researching the mechanisms of specific proteins and their roles in Diabetic Retinopathy in Dr. Belecky-Adams' Lab.
Snehvir Kaur
Sneh is an undergraduate student at IU Indianapolis, pursuing a major in neuroscience. She is actively involved in the lab, led by Dr. Bonnie Blazer-Yost, where she collaborates with Fatemeh Omidi Bidgoli to pioneer innovative pharmacological treatments for hydrocephalus, with a focus on non-surgical interventions.
Makenna Reed, B.A.
Makenna received her degree from Central College (Pella, Iowa) in 2018. She is currently a PhD candidate in Dr. Blazer-Yost's laboratory. Her current project focuses on elucidating common mechanisms between different hydrocephalic presentations with the goal of developing drug candidates that move this research towards clinical trials.