Shilpa Buch Research Group

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Buch investigates how HIV, inflammatory signaling, and substance exposure affect the nervous system. Her laboratory studies the interactions between viral proteins and resident brain cells, including pathways that produce neuronal injury or support neuronal survival. Work connects cell culture with animal models and human tissue, and includes chemokines, oxidative stress, and the effects of opioids or cocaine on HIV-related pathology. The group also studies aging in NeuroAIDS. For prospective researchers, the central opportunity is tracing how infection and immune activation alter brain function and identifying mechanisms that could support protective therapeutic strategies.