Lori Alison Newman

Dr. Lori Newman received her MA and PhD from University of New Hampshire in 2009 where she conducted research on the neuromodulation of attention, learning, and memory as well as independently taught several courses.  She then began her research on the influence of brain metabolism and memory with Dr. Paul Gold and Dr. Donna Korol as a postdoctoral research fellow first at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and then at Syracuse University. Dr. Newman began her tenure-track position at Vassar College in 2017.

The Newman Lab studies the unique role of astrocytes, the support cells in the brain, in attention, learning, and memory.  Using neurochemical measures in conjunction with behavioral assays, our work suggests a critical role for astrocytes in cognition.  By elucidating the unique functions of astrocytes, we hope to provide targets for novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and ADHD.