Laura Bojarskaite
Laura Bojarskaite
Laura Bojarskaite is a postdoctoral fellow at the K. G. Jebsen Centre for Brain Fluid Research at the University of Oslo, GliaLab. She is originally from Lithuania and have a BSc in Biochemistry from University of Vilnius and a MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences from University of Copenhagen.
During her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Oslo, Bojarskaite developed a powerful and unique method that allows us to study what happens in brain cells in a naturally sleeping, live animal. Using this method, she and her colleagues made two significant discoveries. First, they demonstrated that specialized brain cells called astrocytes help maintain the quality of NREM sleep. Second, they showed that only during sleep do brain arteries expand and contract in specific rhythms, which enhance the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and likely help remove harmful substances that contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. She continues studying vascular dynamics in sleep in health and disease.
Bojarskaite is also incredibly passionate about making science accessible to the general public and bridging the gap between science and everyday life by making science understandable, enjoyable, and easily applicable in daily life. IShe has a little science communication business where she provides lectures, seminars, and create popular science content and consulting services within sleep and other neuroscience topics. You can find it here: www.laurabraintalks.com.
Position
Postdoctoral fellow at University of Oslo, Faculty of Medicine
Selected Publications
Bojarskaite, L., Vallet, A., Bjørnstad, D. M., Gullestad Binder, K. M., Cunen, C., Heuser, K., Kuchta, M., Mardal, K. A., & Enger, R. (2023). Sleep cycle-dependent vascular dynamics in male mice and the predicted effects on perivascular cerebrospinal fluid flow and solute transport. Nature communications, 14(1), 953.
Bojarskaite, L., Bjørnstad, D. M., Pettersen, K. H., Cunen, C., Hermansen, G. H., Åbjørsbråten, K. S., Chambers, A. R., Sprengel, R., Vervaeke, K., Tang, W., Enger, R., & Nagelhus, E. A. (2020). Astrocytic Ca2+signaling is reduced during sleep and is involved in the regulation of slow wave sleep. Nature communications, 11(1), 3240.
Bojarskaite, L., Nafari, S., Ravnanger, A. K., Frey, M. M., Skauli, N., Åbjørsbråten, K. S., Roth, L. C., Amiry-Moghaddam, M., Nagelhus, E. A., Ottersen, O. P., Bogen, I. L., Thoren, A. E., & Enger, R. (2024). Role of aquaporin-4 polarization in extracellular solute clearance. Fluids and barriers of the CNS, 21(1), 28.
Project involvement
Hypertension
In 2022, I received funding from the Norwegian “National Public Health Association” (Nasjonalforeningen for folkehelsen) to continue studying brain artery movements during sleep. My hypothesis is that these artery contractions and expansions during sleep are “malfunctioning” in cases of high blood pressure (hypertension). This malfunction increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases for people with high blood pressure. In this project, I will test various methods (visual and audio stimulation at different frequencies) to “correct” the malfunctioning brain artery movements under high blood pressure. I hope to discover new therapeutic approaches to help people with high blood pressure and reduce their risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
Alzheimer´s Disease
In 2022, I also received funding from the Norwegian Alzheimer’s Disease Association Civitan. In this project, we are investigating brain artery contractions and expansions in cases of Alzheimer’s disease. So far, we have observed that artery movements are significantly worse in Alzheimer’s disease. We are working to correct these movements and, in doing so, hope to discover new therapeutic ways to reduce the risk or improve the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Aquaporin-4
We are investigating how the water channel Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is involved in sleep related vascular dynamics and brain waste clearance.