Research background is in cell biology of glial cells, and particularly myelin-forming cells, in the brain and nerves. Current interests include mechanisms of axonal damage in diseases affecting nerve insulation (myelin) and the cells that produce it, such as multiple sclerosis and hereditary peripheral and central nervous system diseases. An allied and overlapping direction is in the roles of other glial cells, particularly astrocytes, in diseases that affect synapse function. These include muliple sclerosis and autism.Technically, many current studies utilize new 3D electron microscopy (EM) reconstruction methods based on blockface scanning EM approaches, including the Gatan 3View system and focused ion beam aproaches (through collaborations with CWRU Swagelok Center). These automated technologies generate very large "serial section" datsets with ultrastructural resolution. Both 3D structural modeling and quantitative comparisons of parameters are possible for parameters that previously were difficult or impossible to measure, such as mitochondrial size, shape and localization, or organization of the endoplasmic reticulum.