Dr. Punam Pokam

Biography

Punam Pokam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on neuronal intrinsic synaptic mechanisms, factors influencing dysfunctional brain excitability, and the mechanisms of spreading depolarization associated with epilepsy and TBI. With a significant portion of the U.S. population suffering from brain injuries, the impact of TBI research is paramount. Pokam's published work highlights how neuronal edema in TBI can exacerbate excitability and is linked to considerable morbidity and mortality. Her current priorities include examining sex-based differences in physiological responses to neuronal edema and their implications for brain excitability in females. She investigates cellular mechanisms underlying spreading depolarization (SD), a massive excitatory event relevant across various neurologic diseases. Her lab employs innovative approaches, including in vivo whole-cell electrophysiology and two-photon microscopy, to study TBI models. Committed to mentorship, she actively trains undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students and leads a research group supported by NIH grants.

Research Interests

Experience