The primary mission of our research program is to evaluate and develop neuroprotective and neurorestorative therapies to mitigate traumatic brain injury (TBI), which has become a serious problem for military personnel at war. Using a unique militarily relevant experimental model of penetrating ballistic-like brain injury (PBBI), we test a broad spectrum of therapeutic approaches to improve functional, physiological, and histological deficits resulting from the injury. Our in vivo neuroprotective program can be categorized into three major research areas: (1) preclinical characterization of potential neuroprotective drugs developed by pharmaceutical companies; (2) brain specific hypothermia achieved through an extraluminal carotid artery cooling cuff method to control cerebral metabolic balance after injuries; and (3) transplantation therapy with human amnion-derived stem cells as neurorestorative treatment for TBI. The therapeutic effects of these approaches are measured by comprehensive assessments, which include behavioral/cognitive analysis of functional recovery evaluated by balance-beam, rotarod, and Morris water maze tests; histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of the lesion and molecular responses; and electrophysiology (EEG) analysis of silent brain seizures and power spectrum shift. The utmost goal of our research is to bring a neuroprotective therapy to clinical trial to facilitate the clinical development of treatment of TBI.

 

Keywords:

Electrophysiology (EEG, seizure); Traumatic brain injury; Penetrating brain injury; Neuroprotection; Neuropharmacology; Selective brain hypothermia; Stem cell therapy; Behavioral assessment; Cognitive assessment;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and non-U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants