Neurotrauma such as brain or spinal cord injury leads to devastating and persistent neurological deficits. One of the major reasons for the limited functional recovery is the lack of successful axonal regeneration and rewiring.

In this CRF project, we aim to use a newly-established intracranial optic tract lesion model to study the functional reconnection. With a novel combination strategy to boost the intrinsic growth capacity of retinal ganglion cells, we will drive retinal axons to regenerate across the optic tract lesion site, reinnervate the target neurons in the brain, and restore the light reflex.

Our goal is to enhance the functional recovery and understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the robust axon regeneration and functional rewiring. Successful completion of this project will establish strategies to rebuild disconnected neural circuits after injuries within the brain, and help our understanding on the fundamental mechanisms that mediate functional reconnection after central nervous system injuries.

Enhancing neuronal activity by overexpressing melanopsin promotes the regeneration of retinal axons