Rebuilding the brain after stroke

Pluripotent stem cells can be used to generate a wide variety of neuronal subtypes relevant for repair of the central nervous system.

Recently we showed that cortical neurons can be transplanted into the part of the cortex damaged by a focal stroke and have a remarkable capacity to integrate into the existing host circuitry in order to restore motor function. This project will extend on these findings in order to explore whether we can restore multiple circuits in more severe models of stoke affecting multiple brain region by transplanting multiple neuronal cell types. The project will utilise a number of in vitro and in vivo techniques including: human pluripotent cell culture; immunochemistry; stereotaxic surgery; analysis of animal behaviour; histology and microscopy.