Robin E. White

B.S. in Psychology/Mathematics, Texas Lutheran College

Thesis Advisor:  Lyn B. Jakeman

E-Mail:  white.1192@osu.edu

Research:

My research focuses on the response of astrocytes to contusive spinal cord injury. I am currently working on three main projects. The first is a characterization of the differentiation and proliferation of cells of astrocytic lineage at different timepoints after spinal cord injury. The goal of this study is to identify populations of astrocytic cells that can be targeted for therapy following injury. My second project is a follow-up to my last study involving the intrathecal infusion of the mitogenic growth factor TGF-alpha to the contused spinal cord. This resulted in increased astrocyte invasion, axon growth, and production of supportive extracellular matrix molecules in the lesion core of treated mice. Due to the caveats of intrathecal administration, we have formed a collaboration with Dr. Brian Kaspar to develop an adeno-associated virus (AAV) that will result in overexpression of TGF-alpha in infected cells. This virus has been formed and naïve animals will be injected this coming May. If this is successful, an injury study will be undertaken in the summer to explore use of an AAV for TGF-alpha treatment. Also, in collaboration with Dr. Kaspar, we are currently working to develop an in vitro astrocyte model to determine effects of TGF-alpha treatment on cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. We plan to couple TGF-alpha treatment with pro-inflammatory cytokines present after injury to better model the environment following spinal cord injury. Finally, I am working with an undergraduate student to characterize the astrocyte response to spinal cord injury in transgenic mice overexpressing the adhesion molecule L1 in astrocytes.

Publications:

White, R.E. & Jakeman, L.B. Don’t fence me in: Harnessing the Beneficial Roles of Astrocytes for Spinal Cord Repair. Restorative Neurology. (In review).

White, R.E., Yin, F.Q., & Jakeman, L.B. TGF-a increases astrocyte invasion and axonal growth into the lesion following spinal cord injury in mice. Experimental Neurology. (Under revision for resubmission).

Presentations at National Meetings:

“TGF-a Infusion Alters Glial Scar Formation and Promotes Axonal Growth into the Lesion Site Following Contusion Injury in Mice” Poster Presentation at the International Symposium on Neural Regeneration, Monterrey, CA 2007

“Cell Proliferation Patterns in Cells of Astrocytic Lineage Following Graded Spinal Cord Contusion Injury” Poster Presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Meeting, San Diego, CA 2007

“Cell Proliferation Patterns in Cells of Astrocytic Lineage Following Graded Spinal Cord Contusion Injury” Poster presentation at the National Neurotrauma Society Conference, Kansas City, MO 2007