Recent Publications
Heles M, Pasvolsky L, Sathishkumar H, Naara S, Vu Y, Stewart CL, Xie T, Gleber-Netto FO, McCarthy W, Yaniv D, Kamal SS, Elahi H, Zhu P, Uhelski ML, Chatwin J, Lara A, Stolley DL, Migden MR, Lee ZH, Thevasagayampillai S, Gunaratne PH, Ait-Ahmad K, Kuykendall MJ, Eksi SE, Cohen L, Borniger JC, Gottlieb E, Jones GH, Dougherty PM, Amit M. (2026) Psilocybin prevents chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy through mitochondrial trafficking preservation. Science 393, eaec6116 doi: 10.1126/science.aec6116
Wu Y, Ahmadi M, Bogoslowski A, Brabenec L, Abbadi J, Doyle A, Rocha BGS, Nikpoor AR, Nikoofal-Sahlabadi S, Theil V, Preto E, Sulaiman SO, Tsamchoe M, Bednova O, Dory A, Mcllvried LA, Eichwald T, Balood M, Boutopoulos C, Rafei M, Vermeer P, Chang A, Sloan E, Amit M, Penninger J, Saragovi HU, Trumpp A, Scheff NN, Dixon K, Cox M, Birbrair A, Talbot S, Borniger JC. (2026) Nociceptor neurons suppress antitumor immunity in breast cancer. Research Square: rs.3.rs-9927184 doi: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9927184/v2
Li Y, Borniger JC. (2026) C1QL1: A Long-range Signal Orchestrating Glioma Connectivity and Synaptic Remodeling. Cancer Discovery 16(6):1047-1049. doi: https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-26-0608
Nigri J, Lan W, Fung ML, Kayser C, Deschênes A, Hinds J, Kaushalya S, Pawlak SA, Thalappillil JS, Nadella S, Hilmi M, Park W, Kappagantula R, Park Y, Zhao Z, Preall J, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Tracey KJ, Borniger JC, Tuveson DA. (2026) Myofibroblasts Induce Neuroplasticity to Promote Pancreatic Inflammation and Cancer Progression. Cancer Discovery 16(5):1014-1034. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290
Daruwalla K, Martin IN, Zhang L, Naglič D, Frankel A, Rasgaitis C, Zhao R, Zhang X, Ahmad Z, Borniger JC, Hou XH. (2026) Cheese3D enables sensitive detection and analysis of whole-face movement in mice. Nature Neuroscience 29: 1510–1521 doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-026-02262-8
Gomez AM*, Wu Y*, Zhang C, Boyd L, Wee TL, Gewolb J, Amor C, Cheadle L, Borniger JC. (2026) Aberrant hypothalamic neuronal activity blunts glucocorticoid diurnal rhythms in murine breast cancer. Neuron 114(5): 820-835. (*co-first authors) doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2025.11.019
Ferro A*, Vita DJ*, Fallon T, Arshad A, Boyd L, Stanley T, Lin Q, Berisha A, Vrudhula U, Gomez AM, Sanchez-Martin I, Borniger JC, Cheadle L. (2026) Fn14 is an activity-dependent, Bmal1-regulated cytokine receptor that induces rod-like microglia and restricts neuronal activity in vivo. Cell Reports 45(2): 116926. (*co-first authors) doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.116926
Battison AS, Balsbaugh JL, Borniger JC. (2025) APEX2 and TurboID define unique subcellular proteomes. Scientific Reports 15: 43547. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-27545-1
Boyd L, Borniger JC. (2025) Tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles reprogram sensory nerves to drive immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. Science Signaling 18: eady6769. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.ady6769
Boyd L, Berisha A, Gomez AM, Gibson EM, Borniger JC. (2025) Enduring non-rapid eye movement sleep fragmentation following methotrexate chemotherapy in cancer-naive mice. Sleep 48(7): zsaf073 doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaf073
Battison AS, Merrill JR, Borniger JC, Lyons SK. (2025) The regulation of reporter transgene expression for diverse biological imaging applications. npj Imaging 3: 9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44303-025-00070-6
Hwang WL, Perrault EN, Birbrair A, Mattson BJ, Gutmann DH, Mabbott DJ, Cukierman E, Repasky EA, Sloan EK, Zong H, Demir IE, Saloman JL, Borniger JC, Hu J, Dietrich J, Breunig JJ, Çifcibaşı K, Ahmad Kasm KA, Valiente M, Wintermark M, Acharya MM, Scheff NN, D’Silva NJ, Vermeer PD, Wong RJ, Talbot S, Hervey-Jumper SL, Wang TC, Ye Y, Pan Y, Bunimovich YL, Amit M. (2025) Integrating priorities at the intersection of cancer and neuroscience. Cancer Cell 43(1): P1-5 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2024.09.014
Gomez A, Wu Y, Zhang C, Boyd L, Wee T, Gewolb J, Amor C, Cheadle L, Borniger JC. (2024) A brain-body feedback loop driving HPA-axis dysfunction in breast cancer. BioRxiv: 13.612923 doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.13.612923
Borniger JC. (2024) Cancer neuroscience at the brain-body interface. Genes & Development 38: 787-792 doi:10.1101/gad.352288.124
Daruwalla K, Martin IN, Zhang L, Naglič D, Frankel A, Rasgaitis C, Zhang X, Ahmad Z, Borniger JC, Hou XH. (2024) Cheese 3D: Sensitive Detection and Analysis of Whole-Face Movement in Mice. Biorxiv 07.593051 doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.07.593051
Amit M, Anastasaki C, Dantzer R, Demir IE, Deneen B, Dixon KO, Egeblad M, Gibson EM, Hervey-Jumper SL, Hondermarck H, Magnon C, Monje M, Na'ara S, Pan Y, Repasky EA, Scheff NN, Sloan EK, Talbot S, Tracey KJ, Trotman LC, Valiente M, Van Aelst L, Venkataramani V, Venkatesh HS, Vermeer PD, Winkler F, Wong RJ, Gutmann DH, Borniger JC. (2024) Next Directions in the Neuroscience of Cancers Arising outside of the CNS. Cancer Discovery 14(4): 669-673 doi: https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-23-1495
Ferro A, Arshad A, Boyd L, Stanley T, Berisha A, Vrudhula U, Gomez AM, Borniger JC, Cheadle L. (2024) The cytokine receptor Fn14 is a molecular brake on neuronal activity that mediates circadian function in vivo. Biorxiv: 02.587786 doi: 10.1101/2024.04.02.587786
Wu Y, Borniger JC. (2023) Systemic interactions between cancer and the nervous system. Cancer Neuroscience: 147-168 doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32429-1_10
Wu Y, Berisha A, Borniger JC. (2022) Neuropeptides in cancer: friend and foe? Advanced Biology 6(9): 2200111 doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/adbi.202200111
Highlighted Publications
Borniger JC*, Walker II WH*, Surbhi, Emmer KM, Zhang N, Zalenski AA1, Muscarella SL1, Fitzgerald JA, Smith AN, Braam CJ1, Tinkai T, Magalang UJ, Lustberg MB, Nelson RJ, DeVries AC. (2018) A role for hypocretin/orexin in metabolic and sleep abnormalities in a mouse model of non-metastatic breast cancer. Cell Metabolism 27: 118-129 (*co-first authors; 1undergraduate trainee; see media coverage below). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.04.021
Borniger JC, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Zhang N, Nelson RJ, DeVries AC. (2015) Cytotoxic chemotherapy increases sleep and sleep fragmentation in non-tumor-bearing mice. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 47: 218-227
Borniger JC, Don RF*, Zhang N, Boyd RT, Nelson RJ. (2017) Enduring effects of perinatal nicotine exposure on murine sleep in adulthood. American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 313: R280-289 (*indicates undergraduate trainee; featured article; see Frontiers for Young Minds article below)
Borniger JC, Walker WH II, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Stegman CJ*, Zhang N, Hollyfield JL, Nelson RJ, DeVries AC. (2017). Time-of-day dictates transcriptional inflammatory responses to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Scientific Reports 7: 41220 doi: 10.1038/srep41220 (*indicates undergraduate trainee) (see media coverage below)
Monje M, Borniger JC, D’Silva N, Deneen B, Dirks PB, Fattahi F, Frenette PS, Garzia L, Gutmann DH, Hanahan D, Hervey-Jumper S, Hondermarck H, Hurov JB, Kepecs A, Knox S, Lloyd A, Magnon C, Saloman JL, Segal RA, Sloan E, Sun X, Taylor MD, Tracey K, Trotman L, Tuveson D, Wang TC, White RA, Winkler F (2020) Roadmap for the emerging field of cancer neuroscience. Cell 181: 219-222
Other Contributions
6. Berisha A, Shutkind K, Borniger JC (2022). Sleep disruption and Cancer: Chicken or the Egg? Frontiers in Neuroscience https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.856235
Francis N, Borniger JC (2021) Cancer as a homeostatic challenge: the role of the hypothalamus. Trends in Neurosciences (in press)
Borniger JC (2021). Cancer as a tool for preclinical psychoneuroimmunology. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health (in press)
Borniger JC & de Lecea L (2021). Peripheral lipopolysaccharides rapidly silences REM-active LH-GABAergic neurons. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (in press).
Silva TM, Borniger JC, Alves MJ, Correa DA, Zhao J, Toland A, Takakura A, Moreira T, Czeisler C, Otero JJ (2021). Machine learning approaches reveal subtle differences in breathing and sleep fragmentation in Phox2b-derived astrocyte ablated mice. Journal of Neurophysiology (in press)
Li S, Borniger JC, Yamaguchi H, Hédou J, Gaudillière B, de Lecea L (2020). Hypothalamic circuitry underlying stress-induced insomnia and peripheral immunosuppression. Science Advances (in press; BioRxiv link: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.29.069393).
Vasquez JH, Borniger JC. (2020). Neuroendocrine and behavioral consequences of hyperglycemia in cancer. Endocrinology 161: 1-
Yin W, Borniger JC, Wang X, Maguire S, Munselle ML, Bezner KS, Tesfamariam HB, Liang J, Garcia AN, Hofmann HA, Nelson RJ, Gore AC (2019). Estradiol treatment improves biological rhythms in a preclinical rat model of menopause. Neurobiology of Aging 83: 1-10
Borniger JC (2019). Central regulation of breast cancer growth & metastasis. Journal of Cancer Metastasis and Treatment 5: 107 DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2018.107
Czeisler C, Silva TM, Borniger JC, Fair SR, Liu J, Tupal S, Kaya B, Cowgill A, Mahajan S, Wang Y, Blissett AR, Goeksel M, Catacutan F, Nelson RJ, Sundaresean V, Rekling J, Takakura AC, Moreira TS, Otero JJ. (2019) PHOX2B regulates development of nested astrocytes that control breathing and sleep homeostasis. The Journal of Physiology 597: 2225-2251.
Walker WH II, Borniger JC* (2019). Molecular mechanisms of cancer-induced sleep disruption. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 20: 2780 (doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20112780) (*senior author; invited review)
Eban-Rothschild A, Borniger JC, Giardino WJ, Rothschild G, de Lecea L (2020). Arousal-state dependent alterations in VTA-GABAergic neural activity. eNeuro (preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/770313v1).
Walker WH II, Borniger JC, Gaudier-Diaz MM, DeVries AC, Nelson RJ (2019). Acute exposure to dim light at night is sufficient to induce neurological changes and depressive-like behavior. Molecular Psychiatry (in press).
Tyree SM*, Borniger JC*, de Lecea L (2018). Hypocretin as a hub for arousal and motivation. Frontiers in Neurology. *co-first authors 9:413 doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00413
Surbhi, Borniger JC, Russart KLG, Zhang N, Magalang UJ, Nelson RJ. (2019). miR-155 deletion modulates lipopolysaccharide-induced sleep in female mice. Chronobiology International 36: 188-202
Jarczok MN, Aguilar-Raab C, Koenig J, Kaess M, Borniger JC, Nelson RJ, Hall M, Ditzen B, Thayer JF, Fischer JE (2018). The heart’s rhythm’n’ blues: Sex differences in circadian variation patterns of vagal activity vary by depressive symptoms in predominantly healthy employees. Chronobiology International doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07420528.2018.1439499
Borniger JC*, Ungerleider K1*, Zhang N, Karelina K, Weil ZM (2018). Repetitive brain injury of juvenile mice impairs environmental enrichment-induced modulation of REM sleep in adulthood. Neuroscience 375: 74-83 doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.01.064 *co-first authors, 1undergraduate trainee
Cisse YM*, Borniger JC*, Lemanski E1, Walker WH II, Nelson RJ (2018). Time-restricted feeding alters the innate immune response to bacterial endotoxin. Journal of Immunology 200: 681-687 doi: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1701136 (*Co-first authors; 1undergraduate trainee)
Walker II WH, Borniger JC, Surbhi, Zalenski AA, Muscarella SL, Fitzgerald JA, Zhang N, Gaudier-Diaz MM, DeVries AC (2017). Mammary tumors induce central pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, but not behavioral deficits in Balb/C mice. Scientific Reports 7: 8152 (doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07596-9)
Borniger JC, Teplitsky S, Gnyawali S, Nelson RJ, Rink C (2016). Photoperiodic regulation of cerebral blood flow in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). eNeuro (doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0058-16.2016) (Featured on NeurOnline)
Borniger JC, Nelson RJ (2017). Photoperiodic regulation of behavior: Peromyscus as a model system. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology 61: 82-91 (Issue Cover Image)
Borniger JC, Cisse YM, Surbhi, Nelson RJ (2017) Reciprocal regulation of circadian rhythms and immune function. Current Sleep Medicine Reports 3:93 (doi:10.1007/s40675-017-0070-7)
Borniger JC, Hesp ZC (2016). Enhancing remyelination through a novel opioid-receptor pathway. Journal of Neuroscience 36: 11831-11833 (Journal Club)
Borniger JC, Ding H, Williams M, Tweedle MF, Knopp MV, Maurya SK, Periasamy M, Weil ZM, Nelson RJ (2016). Photoperiod affects organ specific glucose metabolism in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Journal of Clinical and Molecular Endocrinology 1;2:07
Borniger JC, Cisse YM, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Walker II WH (2016). Commentary: Anxiety- and depression-like states lead to pronounced olfactory deficits and impaired adult neurogenesis in mice. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00130)
Borniger JC*, Cisse YM*, Cantemir-Stone CZ, Bolon B, Nelson RJ, Marsh CB. (2016). Behavioral abnormalities in mice lacking mesenchyme-specific Pten. Behavioral Brain Research 304: 80-85 (*co-first authors)
Dominoni D, Borniger JC, Nelson RJ (2016). Light at night and health: From humans to wild organisms. Biology Letters 12: 20160015
Weil ZM*, Borniger JC*, Cissé YM, Abi Salloum BA, Nelson RJ (2015) Neuroendocrine control of photoperiodic changes in immune function. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology 37:108-118 (*co-first authors)
Borniger JC, Maurya SK, Periasamy M, Nelson RJ (2014). Acute dim light at night increases body mass, alters metabolism, and shifts core body temperature circadian rhythms. Chronobiology International 31(8): 917-925
Borniger JC, McHenry ZD*, Abi Salloum BA, Nelson RJ (2014). Exposure to dim light at night during early development increases adult anxiety-like responses. Physiology & Behavior 133: 99-106 (*indicates undergraduate trainee)
Borniger JC, Chaudhry A, Muehlenbein MP (2013). Relationships among musical aptitude, digit ratio and testosterone in men and women. PLoS One 8(3): e57637
Borniger JC, Weil ZM, Zhang N, Nelson RJ (2013). Dim light at night does not disrupt timing or quality of sleep in mice. Chronobiology International 30: 1016-1023
Book Chapters
Boyd L, Borniger JC (2026). Hypothalamic and physiological regulation of sleep in cancer. In Sleep and Cancer (Chapter 2)
Borniger JC, Nevárez N (2020). Lateral hypothalamic control of sleep in the context of cancer. Neurological Modulators of Sleep: Mechanisms and Function in Sleep Health (in press) (invited chapter).
Borniger JC, de Lecea L (2019). The Hypocretin Arousal Network. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Oxford University Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264086.013.29
Borniger JC, Cissé YM, Nelson RJ, Martin LB (2017). Seasonal Variation in Stress Responses. In: Fink G: Stress: Neuroendocrinology and Endocrinology: Handbook of Stress, Volume 2 (Chapter 41: pp. 411-419)
Cissé YM, Borniger JC, Nelson RJ (2017). Hormones, Circadian Rhythms, and Mental Health. In: The Oxford Handbook on Evolutionary Psychology and Behavioral Endocrinology (Chapter 28)
Banner image: Drd1-Cre/Ai14 mouse hippocampal dentate gyrus