Dr Melissa Andrews
University position
Research Associate
Departments
Department of Clinical Neurosciences
Institutes
Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair
Home page
http://www.brc.cam.ac.uk/JamesFa...
Research Themes
Interests
My research focuses on assessing the localization and transport of ectopically expressed integrins in adult CNS, in order to better target integrins to sites of injury for therapeutic treatment. We have shown that enhancing the regeneration of dorsal root axons by overexpression of alpha9 integrin, which is downregulated in adulthood, and after injury, is successful in promoting dorsal root ganglion neuron regeneration in culture and in vivo in the presence of inhibitory extracellular matrix substrate tenascin-C, although in vivo regeneration results have been modest. Currently we are investigating the differences between the ability of integrins to transport in adult CNS versus regenerative areas of the nervous system (neonatal CNS and adult PNS).
Research Focus
Keywordsregeneration plasticity gene therapy growth cone |
Clinical conditionsNeuronal repair and regeneration Spinal cord injury Traumatic brain injury Traumatic Brain Injury |
Equipment
Animal Surgery
Behavioural analysis
Cell culture
Fluorescence microscopy
Immunohistochemistry
Collaborators
No collaborators listed
Publications
2012
Chew DJ, Fawcett JW, Andrews MR (2012), “The challenges of long-distance axon regeneration in the injured CNS.” Prog Brain Res 201:253-94 Details
Dassie E, Andrews MR, Bensadoun JC, Cacquevel M, Schneider BL, Aebischer P, Wouters FS, Richardson JC, Hussain I, Howlett DR, Spillantini MG, Fawcett JW (2012), “Focal expression of adeno-associated viral-mutant tau induces widespread impairment in an APP mouse model.” Neurobiol Aging Details
Eva R, Andrews MR, Franssen EH, Fawcett JW (2012), “Intrinsic mechanisms regulating axon regeneration: an integrin perspective.” Int Rev Neurobiol 106:75-104 Details
Tan CL, Andrews MR, Kwok JC, Heintz TG, Gumy LF, Fässler R, Fawcett JW (2012), “Kindlin-1 enhances axon growth on inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans and promotes sensory axon regeneration.” J Neurosci 32(21):7325-35 Details
2011
Wang D, Ichiyama RM, Zhao R, Andrews MR, Fawcett JW (2011), “Chondroitinase combined with rehabilitation promotes recovery of forelimb function in rats with chronic spinal cord injury.” J Neurosci 31(25):9332-44 Details
2010
Afshari FT, Kwok JC, Andrews MR, Blits B, Martin KR, Faissner A, Ffrench-Constant C, Fawcett JW (2010), “Integrin activation or alpha 9 expression allows retinal pigmented epithelial cell adhesion on Bruch's membrane in wet age-related macular degeneration.” Brain 133(Pt 2):448-64 Details
Carulli D, Pizzorusso T, Kwok JC, Putignano E, Poli A, Forostyak S, Andrews MR, Deepa SS, Glant TT, Fawcett JW (2010), “Animals lacking link protein have attenuated perineuronal nets and persistent plasticity.” Brain 133(Pt 8):2331-47 Details
Dobbertin A, Czvitkovich S, Theocharidis U, Garwood J, Andrews MR, Properzi F, Lin R, Fawcett JW, Faissner A (2010), “Analysis of combinatorial variability reveals selective accumulation of the fibronectin type III domains B and D of tenascin-C in injured brain.” Exp Neurol 225(1):60-73 Details
2009
Andrews MR, Czvitkovich S, Dassie E, Vogelaar CF, Faissner A, Blits B, Gage FH, ffrench-Constant C, Fawcett JW (2009), “Alpha9 integrin promotes neurite outgrowth on tenascin-C and enhances sensory axon regeneration.” J Neurosci 29(17):5546-57 Details
2007
Andrews MR, Stelzner DJ (2007), “Evaluation of olfactory ensheathing and schwann cells after implantation into a dorsal injury of adult rat spinal cord.” J Neurotrauma 24(11):1773-92 Details
2004
Andrews MR, Stelzner DJ (2004), “Modification of the regenerative response of dorsal column axons by olfactory ensheathing cells or peripheral axotomy in adult rat.” Exp Neurol 190(2):311-27 Details
Research and Collaboration
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