The mammalian nervous system is composed of approximately 10 to
the 11th different neurons each of which make very specific connections
to other neurons or effector organs. Dr. Arthur Brown initially
focused his research on the function of Eph receptors in axon
guidance. Using embryonic stem cell technologies, he has engineered
mice with altered Eph receptor expression and helped to prove
that Eph receptors guide axons to their synaptic targets. The
unexpected finding that one of the Eph receptor mouse mutants
has a severe heart defect, allowed Dr. Brown to extend his studies
of Eph receptors into the field of cardiac development and to
demonstrate that the molecular control of cell movements and morphogenesis
in the heart and developing nervous system are conserved.
More recently, Dr.
Brown has combined his interests in neurological disease and neurodevelopment
by initiating studies to address the role of embryonic genetic
programs in regeneration and recovery from spinal cord injury.
Dr. Brown has two major projects investigating therapeutic strategies
to effect repair and regeneration after spinal cord injury. The
first project is focused on manipulating gene expression in the
injured spinal cord to up-regulate the expression of regeneration-promoting
genes and to down-regulate the expression of regeneration-inhibiting
genes. The second project is based on the premise that stem cells,
by virtue of their embryonic nature, may be able to rejuvenate
and effect repair in the injured spinal cord. In this exciting
project, bone marrow-derived stem cells are being evaluated for
their potential therapeutic effect on regeneration and repair
after spinal cord injury.
Key Research
Issues:
Investigate how Eph receptors guide axons to their targets in
the developing nervous system.
Investigate the role of EphA3 in cardiac development.
Investigate means of manipulating gene expression after spinal
cord injury to effect regenerative growth.
Investigate therapeutic potential of stem cells in repair and
regeneration after spinal cord injury.
EDUCATION TRAINING & AWARDS
Ph.D. University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Institut du Cancer
du Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
Medical Research Council
Operating Grant
Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Canadian Foundation for Innovation
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
1. Jacob, J.E., Gris,
P., Fehlings, M.G., Weaver, L.C. and Brown, A.
(2003). Autonomic dysreflexia after spinal cord transection and
compression in 129Sv, C57BL and Wallerian degeneration slow mutant
mice. Experimental Neurology 183, 136-146.
2. Vaidya, A., Pniak,
A., Lemke, G. and Brown A. (2003). EphA3 Null
Mutants do not Demonstrate Motor Axon Guidance Defects. Molecular
and Cellular Biology 23, 8092-8098.
3. Gris, P., Murphy,
S., Jacob, J.E., Atkinson, I. and Brown A. (2003).
Differential Gene Expression Profiles in Embryonic, Adult-injured
and Adult-uninjured Spinal Cords. MCN, 24, 555-567.
4. Brown, A.,
Ricci, M-J. and Weaver L.C. (2004). Expression of nerve growth
factor mRNA in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of the
rat after spinal cord transection. Experimental Neurology, 188,
115-127.
Dr.
Brown's website
CONTACT INFO
Arthur Brown
Bio Therapeutics Research Group
Robarts Research Institute
P.O. Box 5015, 100 Perth Drive
London, ON N6A 5K8
Canada
Phone: (519) 931-5777 ext. 24308 Fax: (519) 931-5789
E-mail: abrown@robarts.ca
Ilda Moniz
bpettypiece @robarts.ca
Administrative Assistant
(519) 931-5718
E-mail: imoniz@robarts.ca
