Richard Keep, Ph.D.

Dr. Keep's primary interests focus on the blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers (the tissue interfaces between the brain and blood) and on stroke. In particular, he has interest in how pathological conditions affect the blood-brain barriers, how the barriers can be protected by techniques such as preconditioning, the normal physiological functions of the barrier tissues and drug transport between blood and brain. These processes are examined in vivo (using rodent models of disease) and using in vitro models of the blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers. In relation to stroke, the Keep Lab investigates the mechanisms of brain injury that follows hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. Using rodent models of intracerebral hemorrhage, they focus on the roles of thrombin, iron, complement and inflammation in inducing brain injury. In ischemic stroke, they focus on the roles of thrombin, endothelial injury and inflammation in brain injury. Lastly, they examine the effects of novel preconditioning stimuli on both hemorrhagic and ischemic brain injury.