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RESEARCH INTERESTS
My laboratory discovered a mammalian central nervous system (CNS)
stem cell that can be induced to divide in cell culture and in the
intact brain, and produce the three major cell types of the CNS
- neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Remarkably, this CNS
stem cell is present in both embryonic and adult mouse brain and
spinal cord. Thus, using the mouse as a model organism, the research
in the laboratory has two inter-related goals:
1. To use cellular
and molecular biological tools to identify the genes and growth
factors that regulate the production of the many different brain
cell types by these CNS stem cells.
2. To use neurosurgical approaches and behavioural analysis in rodent
models of neurodegenerative disease to examine the potential of
stem cell therapy in the repair of damaged brain and spinal cord
tissue.
Our research
has generated two new and important perspectives in the study of
developmental neurobiology. First, neural development continues
throughout the lifetime of adult mammals. Second, insights into
ongoing adult cell production may allow for the use of stem cells
to repair neural tissue and allow for functional recovery from brain
and spinal cord injury or disease.
SIGNIFICANT
RESEARCH
Reynolds, B.A. and Weiss, S. (1992) Generation of neurons and astrocytes
from isolated cells of the adult mammalian central nervous system.
Science 255:1707-1710.
Weiss, S., Dunne, C., Hewson, J., Wohl, C., Wheatley, M., Peterson,
A.C., and Reynolds, B.A. (1996) Multipotent central nervous system
stem cells are present in the adult mammalian spinal cord and ventricular
neuroaxis. Journal of Neuroscience 16, 7599-7609.
Daadi, M. and Weiss, S . (1999) Generation of tyrosine hydroxylase
producing neurons from precursors of the embryonic and adult forebrain.
Journal of Neuroscience 19 : 4484-4497.
Shingo, T., Sorokan, S.T., Shimazaki, T., and Weiss, S. (2001) Erythropoietin
regulates the in vitro and in vivo production of neuronal progenitors
by mammalian forebrain neural stem cells. Journal of Neuroscience
21: 9733-9743.
Shingo, T., Gregg, C., Enwere, E., Fujikawa, H., Hassam, R., Geary,
C., Cross, J.C., and Weiss, S. (2003) Pregnancy-stimulated neurogenesis
in the adult female forebrain mediated by prolactin. Science 299:117-120.
CURRENT
RESEARCH SUPPORT
Canadian Institutes
of Health Research (CIHR)
Network of Centres of Excellence – Canadian Stroke Network
Network of Centres of Excellence – Stem Cell Network
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Cheri Delaney
Tel: (403) 220-7376
Email: cdelaney@ucalgary.ca
RESEARCH
PERSONNEL
Dorothy Livingstone
Rozina Hassam
GRADUATE
STUDENTS
Linda Andersen,
PhD
Tina Dubois, PhD
Chris Gregg, PhD
POSTDOCTORAL
FELLOWS
Dr. Tetsuro
Shingo
Dr. Shigeki Ohta
Dr. Hirokazu Fujikawa
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