The Reynolds Family Spine Laboratory

The Reynolds Family Spine Laboratory performs translational research to address challenging issues related to chronic and acute spinal cord injury and to diseases that lead to paralysis including multiple sclerosis. The goal is to discover new targets for therapeutic interventions.

Current research uses rodent models of spinal cord contusion injury and multiple sclerosis, genetically modified mice and neuronal/glial cultures and co-cultures to study neuroimmune interactions, the cross-talk between neurons and glia, mechanisms of neuronal protection and degeneration, axonal regeneration, functional recovery and alleviation of co-morbidities including neuropathic pain.

Ongoing research projects:

• Innate immunity in the spinal cord and the therapeutic potential of toll-like receptor ligands in spinal cord injury.
• The role of innate immune receptors in neuronal survival, axonal protection, and regeneration following spinal cord injury.
• Modulation of astrocyte function and astrocyte-to-immune cell signaling by toll-like receptors in spinal cord injury.
• Discovery of novel targets for the alleviation of neuropathic pain in spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis