Interest in adult neural stem cells and in neurogenesis has tremendously increased after its detection in the adult human hippocampus and in the olfactory bulb (Erikkson et al., 1998; Curtis et al., 2007). Thus, the continuous generation of new neurons, which is confined to regions of adult neurogenesis, may play an important role in cognitive and regenerative processes.
Our work focuses on:
i) The molecular regulation of neurogenesis, in particular under CNS pathologies, since neurogenesis is inhibited in many of such conditions. Here, the aim is to identify molecules that impair neurogenesis and to block their action in order to restore stem cell activity and neurogenesis. Alternatively, we are identifying molecules that promote neurogenesis. This might have implications for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s disease or acute lesions such as stroke.
ii) We are exploring the communication between bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and neural stem cells (NSCs), since we recently discovered that MSCs induce and promote oligodendroglial differentiation of NSCs.The aim is to use MSCs for future therapies of demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
iii) Any kind of future stem cell and neurogenesis-based therapy will require the possibility of monitoring stem cells and neurogenesis via imaging techniques. Since none of such methods existed so far, we are aiming to develop animal and human imaging methods for the visualization of neurogenesis.
