Despite major advances in prevention and rehabilitation, few neurological injuries are as debilitating as stroke. Research in the laboratory at the Department of Physiology & Biochemistry (Faculty of Medicine & Surgery) is directed to understanding cellular mechanisms of damage and how the brain can recover after a stroke. The dynamic events can at present be followed by high resolution imaging using powerful microscopes equipped with lasers that enable us to capture cellular and molecular events deep down within the rodent brain.
Knowledge of the dynamics and cross-talk between nerve cells, supporting cells and the vasculature is unraveling what causes these cells to die and how they could be made to recover. Ongoing work aims at determining the effect of microvascular lesions on the health and functionality of nearby brain cells.
The laboratory benefits from the collaborative environment provided by the the Max Planck Institute in Cologne and the University of Plymouth.
For more information visit the Department of Physiology & Biochemistry page or contact Professor Mario Valentino.