Katharina Quinlan investigates early mechanisms of motor dysfunction in disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal muscular atrophy, and cerebral palsy. Over the past decade, her research has been at the forefront of discovering compensatory changes in the neural network that precede the loss of motor control associated with late stages of these disorders — specifically in investigating early changes that occur in the excitability of motor neurons before deterioration begins. Her work at the Ryan Institute builds on this research to look for early biomarkers and study how targeting specific ion channels or synaptic pathways could help restore function and prevent further deterioration.
She is author of more than 20 publications, and her research is currently supported by grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Target ALS.
Contact:
401-874-2369
kaquinlan@uri.edu