Identifying novel drug and cell-based therapies for stroke

Stroke is a debilitating disease that can cause permanent neurological damage, complications, and death. At present, there are very few treatment options available for patients, thus the development of new treatment options that limit stroke-induced brain damage is vital. Our research group has projects that test post-stroke administration of various drug and cell-based therapies to determine whether they can reduce functional deficits and brain injury in mice. We also have a project that will examine whether a post-stroke high fibre diet can improve long-term outcomes and recovery. Techniques that will be used during these projects include performing stroke surgery on mice and treating them with drugs or cell-based therapies, carrying out functional tests, and performing MRI and histochemical staining to measure cerebral infarct damage. Additionally, fluorescent labelling approaches, such as flow cytometry and immunofluorescence, as well as molecular techniques will be used to identify changes in the post-stroke immune response and to examine regenerative and reparative mechanisms.