Dr. Eric Benner

Biography

Eric Benner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University. His research focuses on improving the survival and quality of life of high-risk neonates in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. His primary interest lies in perinatal brain injuries that affect full-term infants born prematurely. The laboratory has developed models to investigate how endogenous neural stem cells respond to myelin injury. His work aims to create innovative strategies that successfully redirect stem cells toward the oligodendrocyte lineage to promote myelination post-injury. Key aspects of his research include understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern myelin development, particularly the signals that drive neural stem cells to differentiate into oligodendrocytes and how injury impacts this process. His group has innovated technology to non-invasively control ion channels remotely using magnetic fields, facilitating research into how altered circuit activity both in utero and postnatally can affect myelin maturation. Currently, his lab is investigating temperature-gated channel activity and its relation to birth defects caused by maternal fevers.

Research Interests