Research

While adult mammals undergo scarring after spinal cord injury, zebrafish vigorously regenerate and completely recover motor function after a paralyzing injury. Key for this regenerative capacity are both neurogenesis and the formation of a tissue bridge between the two severed spinal cord stumps, composed of glial cells and nerve fibers (axons). Neonatal mice also regenerate axons after spinal cord injury, and recent studies have bolstered the idea of similar regeneration mechanisms to those in zebrafish.

We ask the following questions:
- What are the factors and mechanisms allowing innate spinal cord regeneration?
- How are these mechanisms regulated?
- Are there conserved pro-regenerative mechanisms between zebrafish and neonatal mouse spinal cord?
- Can regeneration in adult mammals be awaken by re-establishment of innate pro-regenerative mechanisms?

Overall, our goal is to contribute to the development of strategies to awaken spinal cord regeneration in adult mammals.