Rachel Rowe
Assistant Research Professor • Sleep and Inflammation Lab
Integrative Physiology

Office: WILD 204

Research Interests

  • The bidirectional relationship between pathological inflammation and sleep.
  • Identifying the interaction between pediatric traumatic brain injury, hormone dysregulation, and sleep-wake disturbances.
  • Investigating the effects of the age at first exposure to brain injury on development and long-term pathological and functional outcomes.

Education

  • 2007, B.S. (Pre-medical Sciences, Biology), Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY
  • 2010, Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY
  • 2014, Ph.D. (Anatomy and Neurobiology), University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY
  • 2017, Postdoctoral Fellow (Neuroscience), BARROW Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ

Professional Experience

2017-2021       Assistant Research Professor, Department of Child Health, University of Arizona, College of Medicine-Phoenix

2017-2021       Assistant Professor, Research Scholar Track, Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ

2019-2021       Assistant Professor, Scientist Track, Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ

2019-2021       Assistant Research Professor, Clinical Translational Sciences, University of Arizona, College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ

2021-present   Assistant Research Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder

Honors and Awards (since 2010)

2021                National Neurotrauma Society Family Care Grant

2019                American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation — Young Investigators Research Forum Award

2019                Poster selected for oral presentation at World Congress on Sleep Medicine, Vancouver, Canada

2019                World Sleep Society — Young Investigator Award

2017                Phoenix Children’s Hospital Service Award

2016                International Brain Injury Association (IBIA) Young Investigator Award, 11th World Congress on Brain Injury, The Netherlands

2016                Poster Presentation Finalist, 34th Annual National Neurotrauma Symposium, Lexington, KY

2016                National Neurotrauma Society, Women in Neurotrauma Research—Visiting International Scholar Award

2016                Society for Neuroscience Professional Development Award, San Diego, CA

2015                Poster selected for oral presentation at 6th World Congress on Sleep Medicine, Seoul, South Korea

2015                Poster selected for oral presentation and top poster award at 38th Annual meeting of the Japan Neuroscience Society, Kobe, Japan

2015                Japan Neuroscience Society- Society for Neuroscience Exchange Travel Grant, 38th Annual meeting of the Japan Neuroscience Society, received 1 of 5 travel awards (for North America) given by Society for Neuroscience Global Affairs Committee

2015                International Travel Award recipient, 12th Symposium of the International Neurotrauma Society, Cape Town, South Africa

2014                Poster selected for press conference “Sleep and the Brain” at Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Washington D.C.

2014-2017       Bisgrove Scholar Fellowship, competitive international award by Science Foundation Arizona, $200,000

2013                Travel Award Recipient, 31st Annual National Neurotrauma Symposium, Nashville, TN

2013                Poster Presentation Finalist, 31st Annual National Neurotrauma Symposium, Nashville, TN

2010-2013       NIH Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Fellowship

Editorial Activities

Neurotrauma Reports, Editorial Board

Frontiers in Neurology, Review Editor                    

Frontiers in Neuroscience, Review Editor

Biology, Guest Editor

Recent Publications (Since 2018)

For a complete list of publications, click here .

  • Rowe R.K., Murphy S.M., Handmaker H., and J. Lifshitz (2021) “Population-level epidemiology of traumatic brain injury concurrent with domestic violence in Arizona, USA” Journal of Neurotrauma
  • Sukhina A.S., Brown, S.D., Lewis K.S., Oatman O.J., Thomas T.C., Rowe R.K., Adelson P.D., and J. Lifshitz. (2021) “Failure to thrive in a 15-month-old with a history of head trauma” Pediatrics in Review
  • Beitchman J.A., Lifshitz J., Harris N.G., Thomas T.C., Lafrenaye A.D., Hånell A., Dixon C.E., Povlishock J.T., and R.K. Rowe (2021) “Spatial distribution of neuropathology and neuroinflammation elucidate the biomechanics of fluid percussion injury” Neurotrauma Reports
  • Saber M., Ortiz J.B., Ma X., Rojas L.M., Tallent B.R., Adelson P.D., Rowe R.K., Qui S., and J. Lifshitz (2021) “Mice born to mothers with gravida traumatic brain injury have distorted brain circuitry and altered immune responses” Journal of Neurotrauma                             
  • Doust Y.V., Rowe R.K., Adelson P.D., Lifshitz J., and J.M. Ziebell (2021) “Age-at-Injury determines the extent of long-term neuropathology and microgliosis after a diffuse brain injury in male rats” Frontiers in Neurology
  • Ortiz J.B., Sukhina A., Balkan B., Subbian V., Harootunian G., Sama T., Adelson P.D., Lewis K., Oliver O., Rowe R.K., and J. Lifshitz. (2020) “The intersect of pediatric traumatic brain injury and central endocrinopathies” Frontiers in Neurology
  • Giordano K.R., Denman C., Dollish H.K., Fernandez F., Lifshitz J., Akhter M., and R.K. Rowe. (2020) “Intracerebral hemorrhage in the mouse altered sleep/wake patterns and activated microglia” Experimental Neurology
  • Pernici C.D., Rowe R.K., Doughty P.T., Lifshitz J., and T.A. Murray (2020) “Longitudinal in vivo imaging of progressive axonal damage and resolution with minocycline treatment after diffuse brain injury in a murine model” Scientific Reports
  • Saber M., Rice A.D., Christie I., Roberts R.G., Rowe R.K., Want T., and J. Lifshitz (2020) “Remote ischemic conditioning reduced traumatic brain injury-induced acute lung injury in the mouse” Shock
  • Saber M., Pathak K., McGilvrey M., Garcia-Mansfield K., Harrison J., Rowe R.K., Lifshitz J., and P. Pirrotte. (2020) “Proteomic analysis identifies plasma correlates of remote ischemic condoning in the context of experimental traumatic brain injury” Scientific Reports
  • Green T.R.F., Ortiz J.B., Wonnacott S., Williams R.J., and R.K. Rowe (2020) “The bidirectional relationship between sleep and inflammation links traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease” Frontiers in Neuroscience
  • Bromberg C., Condon A., Ridgway S., Krishna G., Garcia-Filion P., Adelson P.D., Rowe R.K., and T.C. Thomas (2020) “Sex-dependent pathology in the HPA axis at a sub-acute period after experimental traumatic brain injury” Frontiers in Neurology
  • Sayrs L.W., Ortiz J.B., Notrica D.M., Kirsch L., Kelly C., Stottlemyre R., Cohen A., Misra S., Green T.R., Adelson P.D., Lifshitz J., and R.K., Rowe (2020) “Intimate partner violence, clinical indications, and other family risk factors associated with pediatric abusive head trauma” Journal of Intimate Personal Violence
  • Notrica D.M., Kirsch L., Mirsa S., Kelly C., Greenberg J., Stottlemyre R.L., Cohen A., Ortiz J.B., Rowe R.K., Lifshitz J.L., Adelson P.D., and L.W. Sayrs (2020) “Evaluating abusive head trauma in children <5 years old: Risk factors and the importance of social history” Journal of Pediatric Surgery
  • Saber M.M., Hur Y., Murphy S.M., Lifshitz J., and R.K. Rowe (2020) “Experimental diffuse brain injury and a model of Alzheimer’s disease exhibit disease-specific changes in sleep and incongruous peripheral inflammation” Journal of Neuroscience Research
  • Rowe R.K., Ortiz J.B., and T.C. Thomas (2020) “Mild and moderate traumatic brain injury and repeated stress affect corticosterone in the rat” Neurotrauma Reports
  • Rowe R.K., Harrison J.L., Morrison H.W., Subbian V., Murphy S.M., and J. Lifshitz. (2019) “Acute post-traumatic sleep may define vulnerability to a second traumatic brain injury in mice” Journal of Neurotrauma
  • Saber M., Giordano K.R., Hur Y., Ortiz J.B., Morrison H., Godbout J.P., Lifshitz J., and R.K. Rowe (2019) “Sex differences in peripheral inflammation and post-traumatic sleep after experimental diffuse brain injury” European Journal of Neuroscience
  • Tallent B.R., Law M.L., Rowe R.K., and J. Lifshitz (2018) “Partial cage division significantly reduces aggressive behavior in laboratory mice” Lab Animal
  • Rowe R.K., Harrison J.L., Ellis T.W., and J. Lifshitz (2018) “Midline (central) fluid percussion model of traumatic brain injury in pediatric and adolescent rats” J Neurosurgery Pediatrics Apr 20:1-9
  • Rowe R.K., Harrison J.L., Zhang H.T., Bachstetter A.D., Van Eldik L.J., Hesson, D.P. Greene, M. and J. Lifshitz. (2018) “Novel allosteric inhibitors of TNF-R1 modulate post-traumatic sleep and restore functional outcome following experimental diffuse TBI in the mouse” Journal of Neuroinflammation May 22;15(1):154