Masters by Research (MRes) opportunity: Identification of candidate neuroprotective drugs for treatment of traumatic brain injury

A position for an MRes student is available for a collaborative project between the labs of Dr Leah Herrgen and Dr Veronique Miron at the University of Edinburgh. The successful candidate will work on an exciting project at the forefront of brain repair research, and join a lively community of students in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. TBI occurs when an external force damages the brain, with causes including traffic accidents, sports injuries, falls, and violence. Patients with moderate or severe TBI are at high risk of death or permanent disability. A major complication in the treatment of patients with TBI is the delayed ’secondary’ death of neurons, which happens in the hours and days after the injury and which is thought to contribute to the progressive neurological deterioration seen in many TBI patients. There is currently no drug available that could prevent or reduce secondary neuronal cell death.

In order to test candidate drugs for an effect on secondary cell death, the Herrgen lab has screened a drug library using larval zebrafish as a model system. We have identified several compounds that can reduce secondary cell death after brain injury in larval zebrafish. An essential next step towards developing these compounds into candidate drugs for TBI patients will be to test whether they can also reduce secondary cell death in the mammalian brain.

The student will work with the Miron lab to develop an in vitro model of secondary cell death in mammalian brain slices. S/he will then test the effect of hit compounds from the drug screen in this model system. The student will have the opportunity to acquire a wide range of research skills, including mammalian tissue culture, drug treatment, confocal imaging, and data analysis.

Preliminary enquiries about details of the project are encouraged and should be directed to [Email Address Removed].