Scientists: Brian J. Cummings, Ph.D.

Research Focus

Working to understand: How neural stem cells interpret the niche; how transplanted stem cells integrate with the host; how best to use neural stem cells to treat CNS injuries, integration of biomaterials with the CNS.

Scientific Focus: Derivation and characterization of ES, iPS, and adult neural stem cell lines. Interaction between human neural stem cells and the injured CNS. Therapeutic use of human neural stem cells using in vitro models (real-time imaging, organotypic cultures) and in vivo models of disease (spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases).

RECENT PUBLICATIONS ON PUBMED

Selected Publications

Anderson AJ, Haus DL, Hooshmand MJ, Perez H, Sontag CJ, Cummings BJ.
Achieving stable human stem cell engraftment and survival in the CNS: is the future of regenerative medicine immunodeficient? Regen Med. 2011 May;6(3):367-406.

Salazar DL, Uchida N, Hamers FP, Cummings BJ, Anderson AJ.
Human neural stem cells differentiate and promote locomotor recovery in an early chronic spinal cord injury NOD-scid mouse model. PLoS One. 2010 Aug 18;5(8):e12272.

Luchetti S, Beck KD, Galvan MD, Silva R, Cummings BJ, Anderson AJ.
Comparison of immunopathology and locomotor recovery in C57BL/6, BUB/BnJ, and NOD-SCID mice after contusion spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma. 2010 Feb;27(2):411-21.

Hooshmand MJ, Sontag CJ, Uchida N, Tamaki S, Anderson AJ, Cummings BJ.
Analysis of host-mediated repair mechanisms after human CNS-stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury: correlation of engraftment with recovery. PLoS One. 2009 Jun 11;4(6):e5871.

Cummings BJ, Engesser-Cesar C, Cadena G, Anderson AJ.
Adaptation of a ladder beam walking task to assess locomotor recovery in mice following spinal cord injury. Behav Brain Res. 2007 Feb 27;177(2):232-41. Epub 2007 Jan 2.

Cummings BJ, Uchida N, Tamaki SJ, Anderson AJ.
Human neural stem cell differentiation following transplantation into spinal cord injured mice: association with recovery of locomotor function. Neurol Res. 2006 Jul;28(5):474-81.

Cummings BJ, Uchida N, Tamaki SJ, Salazar DL, Hooshmand M, Summers R, Gage FH, Anderson AJ.
Human neural stem cells differentiate and promote locomotor recovery in spinal cord-injured mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Sep 27;102(39):14069-74. Epub 2005 Sep 19.