Rebecca Cunningham, PhD

Dr. Rebecca Cunningham studies the role of steroid hormones, specifically androgens, from prenatal development to aging. Most of her team’s research has been focused on androgen signaling mechanisms and defining the effects of androgens on central nervous system function. One of Dr. Cunningham’s long-term research goals is to determine how development and aging alters neuronal steroid hormonal responses in an oxidative stress environment, a key characteristic of aging, developmental disorders, and neurodegeneration. She has shown that androgens can either be neuroprotective or damaging, and these effects are dependent on the oxidative stress environment. In pursuing this goal, Dr. Cunningham and team use in vitro, in vivo, and clinical approaches to understand how androgens affect brain function. Hopefully this research will expand the understanding of how steroid hormones impact the brain. At the same time, she seeks to gain new insights that can lead to a better understanding of the role of sex in central nervous system disorders.