Institute of Neural Regeneration and Tissue Engineering

The Institute of Neural Regeneration and Tissue Engineering was founded with the goal of improving the lives of the millions who suffer from strokes, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases. Our focus is on scientific research work, translating the basic sciences of today into the biomedical technologies of the future. We seek to provide novel capabilities in restoring neural function and to provide new understanding of the complexities and fundamental basis of all neural function, from molecular, cellular, and human perspectives. A vast amount remains to be discovered regarding the workings of the nervous system, and this work seeks to unravel and understand these mysteries, while also translating these discoveries into meaningful innovations and therapies.

 

Our research focuses on neural tissue engineering and the study of mechanisms of neurodevelopment, neural differentiation, neurological diseases, and stem cell regenerative approaches to neural injury and disease. This research also investigates new methods of controlling and guiding stem cell formation into 3-dimensional (3D) tissues and functional neural networks, and we have recently discovered methods and materials for guiding neural network formation at the nanoscale level in 3D constructs in order to replicate neuroanatomical structures and regional identities, which has been published in the Journal of Neural Engineering, two Tissue Engineering journals, and in the Neural Regeneration Research journal, as well as a forthcoming texbook published by Elsevier and other pending work. In addition, this research work examines neuroprotective mechanisms and neuromodulation, which has been published in Elsevier’s Brain Research journal and the Journal of Investigative Medicine, and which holds potential for novel therapeutic interventions in stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS). Finally, we also hope to expand free educational resources for the public and for other researchers in the fields of medicine, neuroscience, and bioengineering.

 

To learn more about the research work at the Institute, please visit www.neuralregeneration.org