Research in Veterinary Medicine

Neurosciences

The Department's research in neurosciences has been starred in all RAEs. Since 2001 the Vet School group has published 173 peer-reviewed papers and reviews, including papers in Science, Nature and Nature Neuroscience.

Neurosciences at the Vet School has been actively involved in the Clinical and Veterinary Neuroscience grouping of Cambridge Neuroscience, a major new University initiative launched in 2007 to enhance multi-disciplinary research ( http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk.)

Franklin holds a Personal Chair based on internationally-recognized research leadership. The research focus remains the development of strategies for enhancing CNS repair with particular emphasis on the cellular mechanisms of CNS regenerative processes (especially remyelination). Franklin is director of the Neural Stem Cell Programme of the MRC Cambridge Centre for Stem Cell Biology (which includes Káradóttir) (http://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/) and also of the UK Multiple Sclerosis Society Centre for Myelin Repair (which includes Zhao). Franklin is also a member of an international consortium funded by the US National MS Society. Notable advances have been: the role of non-redundant transcription factors in regulating neural stem/precursor cell differentiation. Franklin is also a member of an international consortium funded by the US National MS Society. Notable advances have been: the role of non-redundant transcription factors in regulating neural stem/precursor cell differentiation (Franklin, Zhao); the effects of age and repeat injury on neural stem/precursor cell properties during remyelination (Franklin, Zhao); the role of inflammation on neural stem/precursor cell biology during spontaneous and transplant-mediated remyelination Franklin, Zhao); use of MRI-detectable agents to label cells transplanted into the CNS (Franklin); development of lentivector techniques for altering gene expression during remyelination (Zhao, Franklin); a major translational programme using dogs with clinical spinal cord injury (SCI) to test the efficacy of autologous olfactory-ensheathing-cell transplantation, a leading strategy for potential use in human phase 1 clinical trials based on experimetal data to which the group has contributed (Jeffery, Franklin, Granger) Link to project webpage; first detailed study on the pathology of clinical SCI (Jeffery). Granger has previously been involved in France in works testing the first use of mesangioblast stem cells to correct a genetic disease of skeletal muscle, using dystrophic dogs. Káradóttir, who recently joined the group, has made fundamental contributions to understanding the electrophysiological properties of oligodendrocytes and their precursors. Franklin, and Káradóttir are also principal investigators at the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair at the Addenbrooke's Hospital site (http://www.brc.cam.ac.uk/).