Current Research Themes

Neural Development/Stem Cells (Longstanding research area)

• Understand cellular and molecular control of nervous system glial specification
• Identify molecules that regulate glial cell proliferation and migration. 

Myelin Repair (Myelin Repair Foundation, Athersys, BiogenIdec)

• Utilize adult neural progenitor cells to enhance repair
• Characterize human neural progenitor cells 

Brain tumor Biology (Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and Neurosurgery Dept at University Hospitals and the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center at Henry Ford Hospital)

• Characterize cellular origins of neural tumors
• Identify novel therapeutic targets to control cell proliferation, death and migration of neural cells

Spinal Cord Injury (Neurosurgery Dept. University Hospitals and CWRU Stem Cell Center)

• Utilize molecules important in glial development to facilitate spinal cord repair
• Develop neural and non-neural stem cell approaches to modulate spinal cord injury responses.