Savannah Dewberry, PhD

Date Joined Lab
October 2023

Background and Interests

Savannah’s full name is Lauren Savannah Dewberry; she goes by her middle name, Savannah. 

Savannah completed her undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2016. During this time, she began research in Dr. Robert Sorge’s IMPACT lab. She learned many behavioral methods for analyzing nociception in mice and rats, and developed a protocol to measure nociception in zebra fish.

Savannah completed her graduate studies in biomedical engineering at the University of Florida in 2023. She was co-mentored by Drs. Kevin Otto and Kyle Allen. Her thesis focused on peripheral nerve electrical stimulation for treatment of pain resulting from lumbar radiculopathy. She also worked on a project analyzing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy from ultramicroelectrodes in rat cortex.

Savannah joined Dr. Nackley’s lab at Duke for her post-doctoral training. Her interests are in studying the development and maintenance of chronic pain mediated by Adrenergic Receptor-beta3 (Adrb3). Adrb3 is one of the drivers of deficient COMT-related chronic pain, which is associated with chronic primary pain conditions. 

Savannah plans to become a professor in order to begin a lab where she researches innovative treatments for chronic pain. She has been blessed to have many opportunities to pursue research and plans to provide opportunities and mentorship to others through her lab.

Savannah enjoys many outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and SCUBA. She also enjoys painting, reading, crochet, and video games. 

Publications

1. LS Dewberry, T Koenig, K Porche, KD Allen, KJ Otto. (2023). High Frequency Alternating Current Neurostimulation Decreases Nocifensive Behavior in a Disc Herniation Model of Lumbar Radiculopathy. Bioelectronic Medicine 9, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42234-023-00119-0.
2. CJ Cruz, LS Dewberry, KJ Otto, KD Allen. (2023). Neuromodulation as a Potential Disease-Modifying Therapy for Osteoarthritis. Curr Rheumatol Rep 25, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-022-01094-2
3. MP Smythe, LS Dewberry, EA Staiger, KD Allen, SA Brooks. (2023). Changes in Gait of Elite Three-Day Event Horses Throughout Competition. Social Science Research Network, http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4401594
4. LS Dewberry, AB Dru, M Gravenstine, B Nguyen, J Anderson, S Vaziri, DJ Hoh, KD Allen, and KJ Otto. (2020). Partial High Frequency Nerve Block Decreases Neuropathic Signaling Following Chronic Sciatic Nerve Constriction Injury. Journal of Neural Engineering. DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abbf03
5. LC O'Keefe, P Koelle, Z McGee, LS Dewberry, C Wright, JE Stallings, E Gates, K Chittur. (2019). Innovations in Worksite Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infections and the Occupational Health Nurse. Workplace Health Safety.  29;:2165079919834310. PubMed PMID: 30924742. 
6. LS Dewberry, JC Taylor, SK Totsch, LR Yessick, JJ DeBerry, SA Watts, and RE Sorge. (2017). A novel zebrafish-based model of nociception. Physiology & Behavior, 174: 83-88.
7. ME Waite, A Tomkovich, TL Quinn, AP Schumann, LS Dewberry, SK Totsch, and RE Sorge. (2015). Efficacy of common analgesics for spontaneous postsurgical pain in rats. JAALAS, 54: 420-5.