Damon Runyon Researchers

Dr. Greenberg [HHMI Fellow] is focusing on how sensory neurons that innervate internal organs develop and function under changing environmental conditions. Our ability to sense and respond to fluctuations in blood-oxygen levels or exposure to gastric irritation is controlled by sensory neurons from the vagus nerve or the dorsal root ganglia. These neurons detect changes in numerous organs including those critical to reproduction, and mediate responses. Understanding how sensory neurons respond to these microenvironments may provide new insights into how certain conditions contribute to tumor growth and identify targets for the development of cancer therapies.