We are in the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Our mission is to investigate the effects of birth on the development of the brain.​
Welcome to the Castillo-Ruiz lab!
​Images: birth triggers cell death (A) and rapid changes in microglia numbers (B) across the newborn mouse brain; manipulations of birth mode (vaginal vs. Cesarean) lead to long-lasting changes in the vasopressin system (C) of the adult mouse (Photo credit: AC-R).
Why study birth and brain development?
Birth is such a remarkable experience for mammals. At the time of birth, the newborn experiences multiple stimuli, including:
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colonization of body surfaces by microbes (also known as the microbiota)
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low oxygen levels
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and hormonal exposure (from mom and self)
At any other point in life, these experiences on their own would affect the brain. Therefore, the overarching goal of our research is to understand whether and how birth affects brain and behavior development.
What are our research goals?
Our lab utilizes an array of cellular, molecular, and behavioral techniques on our animal model: the mouse, to understand:
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The effects of the microbiota on brain development.
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The effects of birth mode (Cesarean vs. vaginal birth) on brain development.
Does our research matter?
Our research is of clinical relevance given the high rates of antibiotic prescriptions around the time of birth as well as Cesarean births across the World. In addition, our work is of basic biology relevance as it seeks to unveil the contributions of birth to brain development.