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Anzela Niraula

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aniraula

Anzela Niraula

Assistant Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Department/Office Information

Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience
133 Olin Hall

Contact

The brain and the immune system are highly intertwined, as manifested by sickness during an infection, where we experience behavioral changes, lack of appetite, and fever. While the immune system influences brain functions and behavior, the reverse is also true. In my graduate training, I studied how the brain modulates the immune cells and signals to alter behavior during psychological stress.

Beyond the bidirectional relationship between the brain and the peripheral immune system, the neuroimmune interactions play out within the brain itself, through microglia – the resident immune cells. My postdoctoral work investigated how microglial responses to metabolic cues alter neuronal functions. More broadly, the neuroimmune axis is a key player in infections, injury, and neurodegenerative diseases.

The overarching goal of my laboratory is to identify the neuroimmune mechanisms underlying specific states and in brain development during critical period. We conduct studies in mice and tadpoles, each of which provides a unique context to investigate neuroimmune interactions. Our studies employ pharmacological, surgical, transgenic, and behavioral techniques to probe research questions.

Students may be involved in the projects as research assistants or as part of their senior thesis. I hope to equip students with the technical and intellectual skills, and help them develop into well-rounded scholars.

Postdoctoral training: University of Washington
PhD: The Ohio State University
BA: Bates College

 

  • Rumberger AS, Vassel LA, Hess CC, et al. Colony Stimulating Factor-1 (CSF-1) and Interleukin-34 (IL-34) Differentially Alter White Matter and Gray Matter Microglia and Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells. J Neurochem. 2025;169(8):e70186. doi:10.1111/jnc.70186
  • Niraula A, Hansen K, Bullock KM, Erickson MA, Banks WA. Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity and Transport of Major Hormones are Unchanged in Mice With Euglycemic Hyperinsulinemia. Endocrinology. 2025;166(8):bqaf095. doi:10.1210/endocr/bqaf095
  • Douglass JD, Ness KM, Valdearcos M, Wyse-Jackson A, Dorfman MD, Frey JM, Fasnacht RD, Santiago OD, Niraula A, Banerjee J, Robblee M, Koliwad SK, Thaler JP. Obesity-associated microglial inflammatory activation paradoxically improves glucose tolerance. Cell Metab. 2023 Sep 5;35(9):1613-1629.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.07.008.
  • Niraula A, Sundaravaradan V, Price RM. 2023. Good Drug, Bad Practice: Tackling the Ivermectin Fiasco. CourseSource 10. https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2023.17.
  • Niraula A, Fasnacht RD, Ness KM, Frey JM, Cuschieri SA, Dorfman MD, Thaler JP. Prostaglandin PGE2 Receptor EP4 Regulates Microglial Phagocytosis and Increases Susceptibility to Diet-Induced Obesity. Diabetes. 2023 Feb 1;72(2):233-244. doi: 10.2337/db21-1072. (Paper of the Month)
  • Niraula A. Using electroconvulsive treatment to quiet the mind (and Microglia). Brain Behav Immun. 2021 Oct;97:11-12. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.003. (Invited commentary)
  • Niraula A, Sheridan JF. IL-6 Signaling in Monocytes: A Potential Therapeutic Avenue for Stress-Induced Mood Impairments. Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks). 2019 Jan-Dec;3. doi: 10.1177/2470547019871371.
  • Weber MD, McKim DB, Niraula A, Witcher KG, Yin W, Sobol CG, Wang Y, Sawicki CM, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP. The Influence of Microglial Elimination and Repopulation on Stress Sensitization Induced by Repeated Social Defeat. Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Apr 15;85(8):667-678. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.10.009.
  • Niraula A, Witcher KG, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP. Interleukin-6 Induced by Social Stress Promotes a Unique Transcriptional Signature in the Monocytes That Facilitate Anxiety. Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Apr 15;85(8):679-689. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.09.030.
  • Gur TL, Palkar AV, Rajasekera T, Allen J, Niraula A, Godbout J, Bailey MT. Prenatal stress disrupts social behavior, cortical neurobiology and commensal microbes in adult male offspring. Behav Brain Res. 2019 Feb 1;359:886-894. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.06.025.
  • Aten S, Page CE, Kalidindi A, Wheaton K, Niraula A, Godbout JP, Hoyt KR, Obrietan K. miR-132/212 is induced by stress and its dysregulation triggers anxiety-related behavior. Neuropharmacology. 2019 Jan;144:256-270. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.10.020.
  • Aten S, Page CE, Kalidindi A, Wheaton KL, Niraula A, Godbout JP, Hoyt KR, Obrietan K. Data highlighting the expression of two miR-132/212 target genes-Sirt1 and Pten-after chronic stress. Data Brief. 2018 Dec;21:2323-2329. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2018.11.042.
  • Lisboa SF, Niraula A, Resstel LB, Guimaraes FS, Godbout JP, Sheridan JF. Repeated social defeat-induced neuroinflammation, anxiety-like behavior and resistance to fear extinction were attenuated by the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2018 Aug;43(9):1924-1933. doi: 10.1038/s41386-018-0064-2.
  • McKim DB, Weber MD, Niraula A, Sawicki CM, Liu X, Jarrett BL, Ramirez-Chan K, Wang Y, Roeth RM^, Sucaldito AD^, Sobol CG^, Quan N, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP. Microglial recruitment of IL-1β-producing monocytes to brain endothelium causes stress-induced anxiety. Mol Psychiatry. 2018 Jun;23(6):1421-1431. doi: 10.1038/mp.2017.64.
  • Niraula A, Wang Y, Godbout JP, Sheridan JF. Corticosterone Production during Repeated Social Defeat Causes Monocyte Mobilization from the Bone Marrow, Glucocorticoid Resistance, and Neurovascular Adhesion Molecule Expression. J Neurosci. 2018 Feb 28;38(9):2328-2340. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2568-17.2018.
  • Niraula A, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP. Microglia Priming with Aging and Stress. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017 Jan;42(1):318-333. doi: 10.1038/npp.2016.185.
  • McKim DB*, Niraula A*, Tarr AJ, Wohleb ES, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP. Neuroinflammatory Dynamics Underlie Memory Impairments after Repeated Social Defeat. J Neurosci. 2016 Mar 2;36(9):2590-604. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2394-15.2016.
  • Ramirez K, Niraula A, Sheridan JF. GABAergic modulation with classical benzodiazepines prevent stress-induced neuro-immune dysregulation and behavioral alterations. Brain Behav Immun. 2016 Jan;51:154-168. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.08.011.
  • Kelsey JE, Niraula A. Effects of acute and sub-chronic nicotine on impulsive choice in rats in a probabilistic delay-discounting task. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2013 Jun;227(3):385-92. doi: 10.1007/s00213-013-2984-1.
  • Niraula, A. (2022, September 13). The PULSE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Rubric. Science Teaching Experience Program. https://depts.washington.edu/stepuw/the-pulse-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei-rubric/#more-827
  • Krause, M., Gautam, K., Gazda, M.A., & Niraula, A. (2020). Reducing Plastic Waste in the Lab: Seize the Lab Waste Day. Chemistry World.