Visiting Professor Home Page

1) Neural Stem Cell Transplants: A Strategy for Central Nervous System Rescue and Repair
The treatment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease with transplant strategies that replace damaged or missing nerve cells with a healthy crop of new cells is getting a push forward thanks to stem cells. These specialized cells can be derived from a variety of tissue types in the laboratory and persuaded to grow and produce new cells. In order to gain a better understanding of the potential of stem cells for future use, we are using animal stems cells and studying them in cell culture, as well as, after transplanting these cells into the eye. The eye/retina is an ideal brain structure that is for investigation of stem cell function. It is a highly organized brain structure that is easily accessible for experimental mainupulation. We are investigating the ability for mouse, rat, and adult human stem cells transplanted into the eye to survive, differentiate, and integrate into the host tissue. Our studies are aimed at developing strategies that may be useful in the future for treating degenerative diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and eye.