About

Trauma to the brain, spinal cord and eye, whilst presenting diverse clinical challenges and management approaches, by and large shares common mechanisms, epidemiology and several pathophysiological aspects, including inflammation. The Neuroscience and Ophthalmology research area encompasses laboratory scientists, clinicians and biotechnologists who share expertise, knowledge and solutions.

This area carries out translational research to address the challenges of military and civilian trauma, and to underpin clinical studies at the NIHR SRMRC in Birmingham or at national and international collaborating institutions.

The Neurosciences and Ophthalmology Research Group is broken down into four research themes:

  • NeurotraumaUniversity of Birmingham Neuroscience logo
  • Neurodegeneration
  • Neuropharmacology
  • Ophthalmology

along with the cross-cutting themes of:

  • Neuronal Networks
  • Neuroinflammation
  • Education
  • Experimental Models

All the above are underpinned by the "Translatable" umbrella.

Within this group are researchers working on neurodegeneration, which encompasses a large group of diseases associated with specific pathology and neuronal death in different parts of the nervous system. This team works on a wide range of topics relating to acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Current research programmes seek to illuminate the dysregulated molecular and cellular processes that occur in neural tissue after neurotrauma, including traumatic brain, spinal cord and ocular injuries, and to develop novel neuroreparative therapies that aid functional restoration of damaged tissues.  They also work on the genetics and cellular pathologies of chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Glaucoma. Based on our understanding of the cellular pathology associated with these diseases, including inflammation, they aim to develop early disease biomarkers and novel therapeutic interventions.

The clinicians of the team have established valuable DNA and serum banks (PD, MND, PSP, MSA and TBI) and initiated sample collection from dementia patients for the local tissue repository.

The senior group leaders have worked together over many years as research leads in the Birmingham NIHR SRMRC and HTC in Trauma Management, delivering a large and diverse number of translational research projects to clinical impact, many involving outsourced relationships.