Dr. Benton Purnell Awarded NINDS K99 Grant to Study How Seizures and Alcohol Poisoning Disrupt Breathing

Dr. Benton Purnell, Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Detlev Boison’s lab, has received a K99 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for his project “Convergent mechanisms of respiratory dysregulation after seizures and alcohol poisoning.”

Both seizures and alcohol poisoning can cause fatal respiratory arrest, but them mechanisms for this are not well understood. Using advanced fiber photometry and transgenic models, Dr. Purnell’s research aims to determine the role of adenosine signaling in these conditions and inform new strategies to prevent these deaths.

Dr. Purnell’s photometry work is being done in collaboration with BHI member Dr. Hai Sun, and he processes his data using pMAT, an open source software package created by Dr. David Barker, BHI core member.

Dr. Purnell encourages anyone interested in applying for a K99 who would like to see his application materials to email him at bp516@rwjms.rutgers.edu.

Learn more: https://reporter.nih.gov/search/4rn10-d00kCD0xuki8Yrrg/project-details/11230301