Elizabeth Crouch, MD, PhD

I am a neuroscientist, a vascular biologist, and a physician in Neonatal-Perinatal medicine. My lab, the Neurovascular Development lab at crouchlab.ucsf.edu, studies how brain blood vessels grow and interact with other brain cells. In part, this interest is inspired from the preterm babies that I care for clinically. Approximately 20% of preterm babies born between 24-28 gestation weeks will develop germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH). This hemorrhage can cause hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, and death, and unfortunately there are currently no treatments. It remains unclear why vasculature in this developmental window is particularly sensitive. One critical barrier is the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of vascular cell development in the prenatal brain. Our research resolves around defining the stages of vascular stem cells in the developing brain and understanding the mechanisms that regulate their functions. We then apply this knowledge to produce novel technologies and therapeutic strategies for different brain hemorrhages in neonatal and pediatric patients. Towards these goals, we utilize neuropathological specimens, flow cytometry (FACS), bioinformatics, and cell culture, including organoid models. We are always interested in hiring motivated and talented individuals. Send an email to inquire; women and URM especially encouraged to apply. For fun, we run the BreakingDownBiology blog (also funded by UCSF ImmunoX) to explain exciting scientific journal articles with every day language. I also co-host "At the Bench: Neonatal Physician Scientists" for the Incubator Podcast network.