Dr. Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld's major research interest focuses on communication between the brain and the gut.  Since her arrival in Oklahoma City in 1994, she has been awarded over 4 million dollars in research grants and contracts from agencies such as the Veteran's Affairs,   National Institutes of Health,   Presbyterian Health Foundation, and multiple companies.  Her research interests relate to the Brain-Gut Axis. Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) including abdominal pain are due to abnormalities in visceral sensation, characterized by increased awareness of visceral stimuli. The worsening of IBS symptoms by stress and anxiety suggest a link between cognitive and peripheral autonomic activity. We have discovered a link between anxiety and visceral sensitivity by showing that rats predisposed to heightened levels of anxiety display a hypersensitive colon.  Moreover stereotaxic administration of glucocorticoids to the amygdala increases anxiety coupled with a hypersensitive colon. Our current research builds upon an important observation that emotional states influence sensory processing and in IBS life stress and negative emotions worsen primary symptomatology. Taken together the studies in her  laboratory will enhance our understanding of brain-gut pathways involved in the regulation of gastrointestinal function as it relates to IBS. The current models in her lab are ..... Current Projects: 1.    Investigation of the mechanisms by which corticosterone acts at the level of the Central Nervous System (CNS) to regulate visceral sensitivity and establish whether stereotaxic placement of glucocorticoids on the amygdala modulates activity in specific CNS structures interposed between the amygdala and the spinal cord. 2.    Determine the importance of Corticotrophin Releasing Factor (CRF) in the regulation of stress induced visceral hypersensitivity 3.    Regulation of post-inflammatory visceral hypersensitivity by VR1 mediated mechanisms 4.    An in vivo and in vitro investigation of the mechanisms responsible for post-inflammatory visceral hypersensitivity                        PRESENT Research Funding – GRANTS and CONTRACTS VA Career Scientist (Greenwood-PI) Salary support (2006-2011) VA Merit Review   (Greenwood-PI) “Autonomic System Changes Cause             Intestinal Symptoms in Gulf War Veterans (Oct. 2004-Sept. 2007) Visceral         Hypersensitivity    (Oct. 2005-Sept. 2008)                  - NIH R21 Grant (Greenwood-Co-Investigator; Akbarali-PI) Cross-sensitization         between bladder and colon (July 2005-June 2007)          VA Merit Review  (Greenwood-PI) “Understanding Pain of Gastrointestinal Origin in Women that Serve in OEF/OIF”    (Oct. 2007-March 2010)     - Fraternal Order of Eagles (Greenwood-PI) (March 2006-Feb. 2007)            American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology     (Greenwood-PI)  (May 2006-April 2007)               Novartis Pharmaceuticals (Sept. 2005-March. 2007)                  Dynogen Pharmaceuticals (July 2006-June 2009) Tranzyme Pharmaceuticals (March 2007 - March 2009 Ascenta (Sept. 2006-Aug. 2007)                               Ethicon-Endosurgery (Oct. 2006-Sept. 2009)                            Tranzyme Pharmaceuticals  (March 2007-April 2008) OCNS is also committed to providing the research techniques necessary for pre-clinical therapeutic screenings and the basic studies of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Please use the links below to determine if any of our techniques meet your research needs. Additionally, we are always working to expand our areas of expertise, if none of the listed methods meet your needs please contact our Scientific Director, Dr. Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, with your specific requirements. Pre-Clinical Models •Visceral Hypersensitivity •Colitis Pharmacological Expertise Gastrointestinal Studies •Motility •Transport Molecular, Biochemical & Other Techniques