MARC FREEMAN, PhD

(Co-Founder)
Vollum Institute at OHSU

Dr. Marc Freeman is the Director of the Vollum Institute at Oregon Health and Sciences University, having moved from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2016 where he was Vice-Chairman of Neurobiology. Since 2003, his laboratory has focused on neuron-glia signaling after injury, in particular how neurons undergo auto-destruction and signal to non-neuronal cells for timely clearance, and how these events modulate disease pathology. The Freeman lab was the first to discover SARM1 as a potent, axon-intrinsic, pro-degenerative factor. Dr. Freeman’s research also aims to understand in molecular terms the basic functions of glial cells during nervous system assembly and pruning, neural circuit maintenance and physiological function, and ultimately animal behavior.  Dr. Freeman completed his BS at Eastern Connecticut State University (1993), received his PhD at Yale University working with John Carlson (1999) and carried out his postdoctoral studies at the University of Oregon with Chris Q Doe (1999-03). Freeman was an Alfred P Sloan Research Fellow, Smith Family New Investigator, HHMI Early Career Scientist and HHMI Investigator.