Promoting retinal ganglion cell survival and optic nerve regeneration by enhancing the axon

神经再生和可塑性的潜在机制是神经科学领域最吸引我的领域。我对神经再生感兴趣的一个关键驱动力是，四年前我自己也遭受了创伤性脊髓损伤，这使我C6不完全瘫痪。目前，临床上还没有有效的治疗方法来促进神经元再生，然而，一些潜在的策略正在出现。视神经是研究神经再生机制最方便和最有前途的系统之一。虽然目前项目的最终目标是开发视力丧失的治疗方法，但我认为促进促生存因子的轴突运输具有很大的潜力，可用于与神经变性相关的其他疾病，在马丁教授和伊娃博士领导的一个项目中工作，对我来说是一个很好的机会，可以在一个激发智力的环境中工作，为脊髓损伤做出贡献。开发新的治疗策略，这可能有可能用于人类。此外，在这个项目上工作将使我有机会获得广泛的科学技术方面的专业知识，在体外和体内研究中实施。

Mechanisms underlying neuronal regeneration and plasticity is the field of neuroscience that fascinates me the most. Akey drive for my interest in neural regeneration is that I sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury myself four years ago,which left me C6 incomplete tetraplegic. Currently no effective treatments are clinically used to promote neuronalregeneration, however, several potential strategies are emerging. One of the most convenient and promising systems tostudy neuronal regeneration mechanisms is the optic nerve. Although the ultimate goal of the current project is thedevelopment of treatments for sight loss, I consider the enhancement of the axonal transport of pro-survival factors tohave a great potential to be used in other conditions associated with neurodegeneration, such as spinal cord injury.Working on a project led by Professor Martin and Dr Eva is a great opportunity for me to work in an intellectuallystimulating environment to contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies, which could have a potential foruse in humans. Additionally, working on this project will give me a chance to gain expertise in a wide range of scientifictechniques, implemented in both in vitro and in vivo studies.