Welcome!

Our Vision and Mission

That physical activity can greatly benefit brain health and function is common knowledge. However, this knowledge has not yet been clinically applied in a targeted, specific manner in pediatric populations. Our vision is that all children, including those most vulnerable to cognitive disability, can benefit from the effects of physical activity on improving and maintaining brain health throughout life.

The mission of the Ivy Lab is to understand, on a molecular level, the neurodevelopmental implications of exercise during early-life. We use cutting-edge techniques in neuroscience and molecular biology to discover novel genetic and epigenetic mechanisms (mechanisms that regulate how and when genes are expressed, and are influenced by environmental experiences) activated by exercise to influence the development and function of brain regions critical for learning and memory.

The knowledge gained from our rigorous, basic and translational research on the neurobiology of early-life exercise can ultimately inform how we may use exercise as medicine in innovative ways, so that all children have the opportunity to reach their full cognitive potential.

To learn about the current research questions we are addressing to move the field forward, please check our Research Page.