The main focus of the research in my laboratory is to use vessel-derived stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells for therapy of muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis, using animal models of these human diseases. We are using MRI to track stem cells over time in the animals following stem cell injection and are using functional assays as well as histological analysis to determine whether the stem cells are successfully regenerating tissue. We are also examining the molecular pathways by which these stem cells differentiate into muscle cells and oligodendrocytes to determine methods of facilitating stem cell replacement of these cell types in the animal models for muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis.\\n\\n
