Sribnick Lab
The Sribnick Lab's research focuses on how the body’s immune system responds after traumatic brain injury. We know that severe injuries are capable of causing the body’s immune system to temporarily not function well. This leaves patients at risk of having a infection while recovering. Patients who have had a severe brain injury and then go on to have an infection while recovering are at higher risk for poor outcome and even death. Preventing immune dysfunction and infection could improve outcomes.
The Sribnick Lab uses an animal model to create and study these conditions. Our ultimate goal is to better understand how the brain injury impacts immune function, whether this can be reversed, and whether improving immune function after injury is a safe and effective therapy.
Current Projects
We are currently working on determining how polytraumatic TBI alters systemic immune function and how we can safely reverse this phenomenon.
Featured Publications
Our Current Lab Funding
We are grateful for the generous support of funders who share our mission to improve outcomes for children undergoing medical treatment.
- National Institute of Health
- Pediatric Trauma Society
- Pediatric Joint Section of AANS/CNS
Connect With Our Team
The Sribnick Lab is committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists. We are always open to hosting students and are actively open to collaboration. If you're interested in working with us, please email
SribnickLab@NationwideChildrens.org or fill out the form below.
Lab Staff
Eric Sribnick, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Eric.Sribnick@NationwideChildrens.org
Eric Sribnick, MD, PhD, is a pediatric neurosurgeon at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He is a South Carolina native and attended Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in english and biology. He then went to the University of Wales, Bangor to study Arthurian literature. He attended medical/graduate school at the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed his neurosurgery residency and pediatric fellowship at Emory University. During medical school, he reversed a lifetime of poor decision-making by convincing Sarah-Rachel Sribnick to marry him. They have three children (Elijah, Isadora and Avi), and Sarah-Rachel still gracefully puts up with Eric. Eric has a clinical and research interest in neurotrauma. His current work examines immune response following a combined injury (traumatic brain injury plus an external injury) and the possibility of using immunomodulation to improve outcomes. His outside interests include bicycling, hiking, and collecting vinyl records.
Ghaith Bahader, PhD
Research Scientist
Ghaith.Bahader@NationwideChildrens.org
Ghaith Bahader is a pharmacist by training, originally from Baghdad, Iraq. He earned his PharmD degree from the University of Baghdad, College of Pharmacy. He gained valuable experience working as a clinical pharmacist and a teaching assistant at the same institution. Seeking to advance his knowledge, Ghaith pursued a master’s and doctorate in medicinal and biological chemistry with a focus on neuroscience at the University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio. His research expertise lies in neuroscience, with a particular emphasis on neurodegenerative diseases, including stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Ghaith joined Dr. Sribnick's lab as a research scientist in October 2023, where he is exploring the underlying mechanisms of post-TBI immunosuppression and the associated increased risk of nosocomial infections. Outside of work, Ghaith has interests in tennis, soccer and traveling.
