Originally from Latvia, I began studying various cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases during my D.Phil. thesis work at the Department of Pharmacology and Exeter College, University of Oxford, UK. Toward the end of my graduate work, I became interested in inflammatory responses of the central nervous system and started studies on microglial cells, which serve as the immune cells of the brain. My interest in neuroinflammatory processes led me to the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, where I did my postdoctoral work in the laboratory of Drs. Edith and Patrick McGeer.
Currently, I am a Professor in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, at the UBC Okanagan Campus in Kelowna, B.C., Canada. The main research goals of the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology that I established at UBC Okanagan involve: 1) characterization of signaling molecules used in neuroimmune communication among different types of brain cells; 2) characterization of mechanisms underlying interactions between peripheral and central nervous system immune systems; and 3) identification of novel treatment options for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, where neuroimmune responses and microglial reactivity are thought to play a central role. In addition to managing a research lab, I also teach pharmacology and biochemistry courses for upper-year undergraduate students and conduct pedagogical studies aimed at improving and assessing the transferable (or ‘employability’) skills of students, including generic problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.