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 proteomics.  Dr. Aicher also collaborates extensively with colleagues at OHSU and across the US. 

The Aicher lab is currently funded by grants from the National Eye Institute and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

https://reporter.nih.gov/search/HSRBcOv2qkeIE_UlYB8cGw/projects