Cameron Metcalf
Research Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Associate Director and Co-Investigator of the Anticonvulsant Drug Development Program
Epilepsy, Mortality, Therapy Development, Environmental Stressors, SUDEP
Molecular Biology Program
Biological Chemistry Program
Education
BS University of Utah
PhD University of Utah
Research
The Metcalf Lab studies epilepsy by (1) developing / validating novel therapies, (2) evaluating mechanisms of mortality in epilepsy, and (3) studying environmental stressors (e.g air pollutants) contributing to epilepsy morbidity and mortality. We utilize preclinical epilepsy models, cardiorespiratory physiology, and clinical data review. The Metcalf Lab also exists within the Anticonvulsant Drug Development Program in the College of Pharmacy, a lab with a 50-year history of screening and characterizing novel epilepsy therapies through a long-standing contract with NINDS.
References (Selected Publications)
- Chmielewska N, Wicik Z, Kearns IR, Palmer CW, Vasquez G, Pruess T, Camacho J, Metcalf CS. In silico and in vivo studies reveal that Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus induces upregulation of miR-155-5p in the hippocampus. Neurobiol Dis. 2026 Apr;221:107322.
- Sri Hari A, Chan AM, Scholl A, Mulligan A, Camacho J, Kearns IR, Opazo GV, Cheminant J, Musci T, Goh MJ, Venosa A, Moos PJ, Golkowski M, Metcalf CS. Multiomic Analyses Reveal Brainstem Metabolic Changes in a Mouse Model of Dravet Syndrome. Cells. 2025 Dec 30;15(1)
- Metcalf CS, Gagangras S, Bulaj G, White HS. Synergistic effects of the galanin analog 810-2 with the antiseizure medication levetiracetam in rodent seizure models. Epilepsia. 2022 Dec;63(12):3090-3099.
- Collard R, Aziz MC, Rapp K, Cutshall C, Duyvesteyn E, Metcalf CS. Galanin analogs prevent mortality from seizure-induced respiratory arrest in mice. Front Neural Circuits. 2022;16:901334. doi: 10.3389/fncir.2022.901334. eCollection 2022.
- Metcalf CS, Vanegas F, Underwood T, Johnson K, West PJ, Smith MD, Wilcox KS. Screening of prototype antiseizure and anti-inflammatory compounds in the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus model of epilepsy. Epilepsia Open. 2022 Mar;7(1):46-58.
- Metcalf CS, Huff J, Thomson KE, Johnson K, Edwards SF, Wilcox KS. Evaluation of antiseizure drug efficacy and tolerability in the rat lamotrigine-resistant amygdala kindling model. Epilepsia Open. 2019 Sep;4(3):452-463. doi: 10.1002/epi4.12354. eCollection 2019 Sep.
- Metcalf CS, West PJ, Thomson KE, Edwards SF, Smith MD, White HS, Wilcox KS. Development and pharmacologic characterization of the rat 6 Hz model of partial seizures. Epilepsia. 2017 Jun;58(6):1073-1084. doi: 10.1111/epi.13764. Epub 2017 Apr 27.