Dr. Orr and her team investigate astrocytes, astrocytic-neuronal interactions, and mitochondrial signaling in normal brain function and pathophysiological processes associated with dementia and other disorders. The lab focuses on three types of interrelated signaling mechanisms in astrocytes: neuroimmune, oxidative, and G protein-coupled. Using diverse approaches, the team investigates astrocyte biology and effects on neuronal functions and disease-related processes, including neuroinflammation, proteinopathy, synaptic alterations, and behavioral functions. In addition, the team has parallel efforts devoted to therapeutic discovery and translating their findings into promising new treatments for dementia.