My research primarily focused on the central nervous system's regulation of visceral pain, employing preclinical (in vivo and in vitro) rodent models and a wide range of state-of-the-art techniques. These included molecular, cellular, behavioral, pharmacological, and electrophysiological methods. Supported by many years of federal research funding, I investigated the neuroanatomical and neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying the interaction between visceral pain and anxiety. My laboratory also collaborated extensively with the pharmaceutical industry to identify novel drugs for treating visceral pain and related disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and post-operative ileus.
My contributions have significantly impacted the field through numerous presentations at national conferences and high-impact publications. Over my career, I maintained a highly productive research program, authoring over 170 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 26 invited reviews, 26 books or book chapters, and holding 9 U.S. patents.
In addition to research, I held key leadership roles both locally and nationally. For over 17 years, I directed the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience, where I advanced graduate student training, neuroscience research, and community outreach. In recognition of my teaching and mentoring excellence, I was inducted into the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Medicine Academy of Teaching Scholars in 2014.
I was also deeply involved in the Department of Veterans Affairs throughout my career. At the time of my retirement, I had achieved the rank of Senior VA Career Scientist and served as Chair of both the Neurology P VA Merit Review Board and the Biomedical Laboratory and Clinical Science R&D Scientific VA Merit Review Board.
Education:
1980-1983 Ph.D. GI Neurophysiology, University of Sheffield, U.K.
1977-1980 BSc. (Special Honors): Physiology, University of Sheffield, U.K.
1983-1986 Alberta Heritage Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Gastrointestinal (GI) Research, University of Calgary, Canada
Clinical/Research Interests:
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Pursuing interdisciplinary synergistic collaborations to take advantage of cutting-edge technologies, and innovative research approaches to treat gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, post-operative ileus and gastroparesis. My research focused on:-
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- Central Neural Circuitry Underlying Anxiety and Visceral pain: Mechanisms of Resilience and Novel Treatments
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- Early life stress on visceral and somatic pain in adulthood: Sex differences
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- Visceral organ cross communication
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- Mechanisms of Neuronal Sensitization
Funding:
At the time of my retirement, I was serving as the principal investigator (PI) on an active NIH R01 grant, a VA Merit grant, a grant from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), and multiple industry-sponsored pharmaceutical contracts."
Select Honors & Accomplishments:
2004: Janssen Award for Basic Research in Digestive Diseases,
2012: Oklahoma University Reagent Award for Superior Research and Creative Activity
2015-2017: Chair: Neuropharmacology Division of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET)
2015-2021: Chair of the Editorial Board of Neurogastroenterology & Motility
2016-2023: SENIOR Research Career Scientist Award, Department of Veterans Affairs
2017: Oklahoma University Reagents Presidential Professorship
2018-2020: President of the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS)
2020: George Lynn Cross Research Professorship
2021: ASPET Fellow Award (FASPET)
2021-2025: Co-Chair Rome Foundation– representing Fundamentals of Neurogastroenterology
2022-2028: Editor in Chief of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET)
2022: Research Mentor Award from the Neurogastroenterology and Motility section of the American Gastroenterological Society Institute
2023: Distinguished Investigator Award for Women in Neurogastroenterology from the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS)
2024: Rome Foundation Academic Fellowship Award
2025: Member, Presidents Advisory Board of the ANMS
2025: ASPET Ray Fuller Award.
Select Publications:
- From a total of 170 papers, 26 invited reviews, 20 book chapters and 9 US Patents
Towner RA, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. Mohammadi E, Saunders D, Smith N, Sant GR. Shain HC, Jozefiak TH, Hurst RE. (2021) SuperGAG Biopolymers for Treatment of Excessive Bladder Permeability. Pharmacology Research & Perspect. 9 (1): e00709. Doi 10.1002/prp2.709. PMID: 33540486.
Ligon C, Hannig G, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2021) Peripheral Guanylate Cyclase-C Modulation of Corticolimbic Activation and Corticotropin Releasing Factor Signaling in a Rat Model of Stress-induced Colonic Hypersensitivity. Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 33 (3):e14076. Doi: 10.111/nmo.14067. PMID: 33373484
Towner RA, Saunders D, Lerner M, Silasi Mansat R, Yuan T, Barber D, Faakye J, Nyul-Toth A, Csiszar A, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Smith N. (2021). Temporary Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier with the Nitrone Compound OKN-007. American Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging11 (5):363-373 PMID: 34754607
Yuan T, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2021) Amygdala microglia modify neuronal plasticity via complement C1q/C3-CR3 signaling and contribute to chronic stress-induced visceral pain. Am J. Physiol. 320 (6): G1081-H1092. Doi 10.1152/ajpgi.00123. PMID 33949202
Orock AM, Louwies T, Ligon CO, Mohammadi E, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2021) Environmental Enrichment Prevents Stress-Induced Epigenetic Changes in the Expression of Glucocorticoid Receptor and Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala to Inhibit Visceral Hypersensitivity. Experimental Neurology 345:1148421: doi 10.1016/jexpneurol 2021.113841 PMID: 34390704
Louwies T, Orock A, Johnson AC, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2021) Stress-induced visceral pain in female rats is associated with epigenetic remodeling in the central nucleus of the amygdala. Neurobiology of Stress 20:15:100386. Doi 10.1016/j.ynstr 2021.100386 PMID 34584907
Noor-Mohammadi E, Ligon, Mackenzie K, Stratton J, Shnider, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2021). Importance of CGRP-Mediated Mechanisms in Stress-induced Colonic and Bladder Hypersensitivity. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 379 (3)270-279. Doi:101124/jpet.121.000731
Towner R, Saunders D, Lerner M, Mansat RS, Yuan T, Barber D, Faakye J, Nyul-Toth A, Csiszar A, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Smith N. (2021) Temporary Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier with the Nitrone Compound OKN-007. Am J. Nuclear Med. Mol. Imaging. 11 (5):363-373. PMID: 34754607
Yuan T, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2021) Abdominal and Pelvic Pain: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities. Frontiers in Pain Research. 4;2:634804. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2021.634804.eCollection. PMID: 35295470
Yuan T, Orock A, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2022) Enriched Environment Reduces Chronic Stress-Induced Visceral Pain Through Modulating Microglial Activity in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala. Am. J. Physiol. Doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00307.2021 PMID: 34877892
Louwies T, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2022) Chronic stress increases DNA methylation of the GR promotor in the central nucleus of the amygdala in female rats. Neurogastroenterology and Motil. Sep;34(9):e14377. doi: 10.1111/nmo.14377. Epub 2022 Apr 11. PMID: 35411658
Louwies T, Mohammadi E, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2023) Chronic Stress in Adulthood Amplifies Visceral Pain After Early Life Stress Through an Epigenetic Dysregulation in Female Rats. Neurogastroenterology Motil.;35(5):e14558. doi: 10.1111/nmo.14558. Epub PMID: 36893055
Noor-Mohammadi E, Ligon C, Mackenzie K, Stratton J, Shnider S, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B (2023). Antinocieptive effects of peripherally restricted anti-CGRP F(AB’)2 in a rat models of colon-bladder cross organ sensitization. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. doi: 10.1124/jpet.122.001480. PMID: 37164371
Brierley SM, Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, Giovanni Sarnelli, Keith A. Sharkey, Martin Storr, Jan Tack (2023). Targeting the endocannabinoid system for treating abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Jan;20(1):5-25. doi: 10.1038/s41575-022-00682-y. Epub 2022 Sep 27. PMID: 36168049
Orock AM, Mohammadi E, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. (2024) Environmental Enrichment Reverses Stress-Induced Changes in the brain gut axis to amerliorate chronic visceral and somatic hypersensitivity. Neurobiology of Stress Volume 28, January 2024, 100590.
Mohammadi E, Yuan T, Ligon C , Ammar RM, Rabini S, Johnson A, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B (2024) Antinociceptive effects of STW 5-II in rodent models of stress and post-inflammatory visceral hyperalgesia. Phytomedicine. Volume 135, December 2024, 156167
Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. , Levi R., Gross E., Blumer J., Wood S. (2024) Moving the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics forward to address the needs of our authors and editors (Editorial). J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 202; 388 (1) 1-5