FIND-seq
Defining rare cellular partners
Biomarker-guided microfluidics help the lab isolate rare transcriptional or genetically defined cell states from complex tissues, turning sparse signals into testable biology.
Neuroimmunology at BWH and Harvard Medical School
Immune Setpoints in the Central Nervous System
The Wheeler Lab studies how immune and nervous systems reciprocally shape behavior, inflammation, and disease. The lab builds tools across genomics, neuroscience, immunology, and computation to make those interactions visible.
Research focus
Tools for cellular interactions that are difficult to see
RABID-seq
Mapping cell-cell interactomics
Barcoded tracing and perturbation strategies reveal transient cellular circuits in the central nervous system that would otherwise disappear in bulk assays.
Neuroimmune circuits
Linking immunity and behavior
Genomics, spatial transcriptomics, imaging, deep learning, actuator technologies, and behavioral paradigms are combined to study immune control of neural function.
Environment and CNS state
Targeting gut-brain axes
The lab studies how commensal flora, peripheral immune licensing, diet, pollutants, and stress tune astrocyte and CNS responses in health and disease.
Methods
From rare-cell capture to circuit perturbation
The lab pairs experimental and computational methods so that disease-linked immune signals can be observed, perturbed, and connected back to behavior.
Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
Microfluidic rare-cell capture
Barcoded circuit tracing
Genetic perturbation screens
Deep-learning-assisted image analysis
Behavioral and immunologic assays
Support
Backed by public and institutional research support
NIH NINDS
NIMH
BWH
Research foundations