Dr. Aicher has a long-standing interest in primary afferent sensory systems and how sensory information leads to physiological and behavioral changes in the organism. She has done extensive work using various histological methods and is recognized for her anatomical studies of neural circuits. Her training in psychology and behavior informs her approach to seeking understanding of how neural circuits modulate behavior. The lab focuses on the cellular mechanism underlying normal and pathophysiological functions in neural circuits including pain and autonomic reflex pathways, as well as neural substrates of addiction. These studies use a variety of techniques including tract tracing, multi-label immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy, behavioral and physiological measurements, and single neuron activity in the brain.  Dr. Aicher also collaborates extensively with colleagues at OHSU within her department, across OHSU, the US, and in Australia. 

The Aicher lab is currently funded by grants from the National Eye Institute; the National Institute on Drug Abuse; the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; and the National Institute of Mental Health.

Grant #s:  R33 EY032468 (Aicher. Galor, co-PIs); U01 EY024680 (Aicher, Morgans, Largent-Milnes, co-PIs);  R01 DA055645 (Sorg, Bronw, Aicher, co-PI); R01 HL146833 (Habecker, PI); RF1 MH127343 (Ribelayga, Morgans, Massey, Aicher, co-PIs)