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Bio:

BIOMED PhD Research Proposal

Title:
Development and Characterization of Folic Acid Delivery Systems for Spinal Cord Repair

Speaker:
Mengxi Yang, PhD candidate
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Advisor:
Yinghui Zhong, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University
 
Details:
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes partial or complete loss of sensory, motor, and autonomic functions below the site of injury. Patients suffering from SCI may experience severe morbidity and permanent disability. Clinically, there is no effective treatment for SCI. Thus, novel interventions are required to facilitate spinal cord repair. Following SCI, the secondary injury cascade can cause the lesion site to expand over time, frequently leading to the development of a cavity surrounded by an astroglial-fibrotic scar. This inhibitory extrinsic environment, presented by the astroglial-fibrotic scar, combined with diminished intrinsic CNS axon regenerative capability, further limits and impedes axon growth after SCI. Therefore, secondary injury and axon regeneration are crucial therapeutic targets for spinal cord repair.

Folic acid (FA), a small molecule, is an essential vitamin source for normal cellular metabolic function and also plays a pivotal role in the development, regeneration, and repair of neural cells in the CNS. It has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects and shown to promote axon regeneration via DNA methylation after SCI. In this study, we aim to develop a biomaterial-based approach to locally deliver FA with sufficient dose and duration for effective treatment of SCI and study its efficacy in promoting spinal cord repair.

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Topic
Out of the Tank Approaches to Promote Spinal Cord Repair

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