Changlian Zhu

Institution/Department: Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology
Previous studies: University of Gothenburg; Shanghai Medical University and Zhengzhou University, China
Thesis: Caspase-dependent and caspase-independent neuronal injury in the developing brain
Research area: Perinatal brain injury
Current research: Brain injury in term and preterm infants is the major cause of neurodevelopmental delay and cerebral palsy in child- and adulthood. This is a severe burden to the child, to the parents as well to the society.
Currently no or little effective therapies are available in order to reduce or to repair brain injury in newborns. Recently it has been shown that brain injury leads to neuronal cell death on one hand, but also stimulates stem/progenitor cells proliferation and neuronal differentiation on the other hand. But these initially proliferating cells have been shown to die mostly within one month after the insult. The mechanisms of this cell death are not understood yet. My current research included: 1) to analyse the mechanism of cell death of newborn cells after the injury and 2) to evaluate therapeutic strategies on their potential to either inhibit this cell death or increase neurogenesis. The overall purpose is to develop strategies for prevention and treatment brain damage by inhibiting newborn cell death on the one hand and stimulating regeneration and plasticity by the growth factors on the other, and these strategies need to be adjusted according to the level of brain development.

E-mail address: changlian.zhu@euro.gu.se