Research
Researchers in the Division of Neurology and their collaborators in other
divisions at Children's Memorial and at other universities across the U.S.
conduct epidemiological, translational, and basic laboratory research targeting
a wide range of conditions that cause injury or death of brain cells (neurons).
The objective of this research is to find new therapies to prevent neural tissue
injury. This field is often referred to as "neuroprotection."
Dr. Epstein has led a group of researchers for nearly 15 years who have
studied the pathways by which viruses such as HIV (the AIDS virus) cause
inflammation in the brain. This activation of special inflammatory cells
(called microglia) in the brain results in the release of substances called
cytokines. While these naturally occurring substances can be helpful in fighting
infections they can also cause neurons to become overly excited and die
(referred to as excitotoxicity).
These same pathways have been implicated in many other
conditions including stroke, hypoxic injury (insufficient oxygen) in the
newborn, the complications of organ transplantation and the adverse effects of
chemotherapy for brain and other cancers. Ongoing drug development funded by the
NIH (National Institutes of Health) and directed by Dr. Epstein is specifically
searching for treatments for HIV-induced neuronal injury, however, these
treatments could have broad applicability to all of the conditions above.
Promising compounds discovered in the laboratory have been brought to clinical
trials (translational research). More here.
The object of this research is to find new therapies to
prevent neural tissue injury.
Mark Wainwright, MD, PhD, has recently joined the division from Duke
University. Dr. Wainwright's interest is neuroprotection from hypoxic brain
injury in newborns. Dr. Wainwright is investigating a number of strategies
including medications and hypothermia in this setting. Similarly, Dr. Kent
Kelley, of the Children's Epilepsy Center, is especially interested in seizures
in the newborn period. Monitoring newborn infants with severe seizures has
taught us that conventional anticonvulsant medications are not sufficient to
stop seizures and prevent excitoxitic injury to brain cells. This is yet another
opportunity to prevent injury at a critical time when the baby's nervous system
is still developing.
Research in neuroprotection is essential if we are to improve the long term
outcomes and quality of life of children with neurologic disorders.
Dr. Jeffrey Nye is interested in how genes control development of the brain
and how these genes contribute to neurological disease. A major effort in his
lab is aimed toward understanding the Notch pathway, specifically, its roles in
neurogenesis, the pathogenesis of presenilin-linked Alzheimer's disease and its
mechanism of signal transduction. These studies are performed in developing
embryos from transgenic or mutant mice, as well as cell culture and biochemical
systems. A second major effort concerns the genetic basis of neural tube
defects, commonly called spina bifida, looking for mutations in genes that
control neural development in patients with spina bifida.
More on research in the Brain Tumor Center and the neurobiology core at Children's Memorial Research Center.