RESEARCH OVERVIEW
Injury to the spinal cord interrupts input to and from the brain. Because adult central nervous system axons fail to fully regenerate following injury, severed axons are permanently disconnected from their target neurons. This results in deficits in voluntary (e.g., walking) and involuntary motor function (e.g., diaphragmatic activity for respiration), autonomic function (e.g., cardiovascular regulation, bladder function, immunity), and sensation.
The overall goals of the lab are to understand acute and long-term sequelae of spinal cord injury and to build upon these findings to identify potential therapeutic targets that will ultimately help restore function in people living with spinal cord injury.
