Conditions like neurodegenerative disorders or stroke are of high clinical and socio-economic relevance given that there are about 250-300 patients/year/100.000 inhabitants in Europe. Many of patients live with severe long term disability. In the recent years such diseases also tend to affect younger people who will require nursing and social support for the rest of their lives. Recent scientific advances have substantially increased our knowledge about the pathophysiology e.g. of neurodegenerative disorders and development of new effective treatment strategies are under way.

Our specific research objectives are understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to neuronal cell death after CNS lesions, to establish new biomarkers and to prevent the death and atrophy of axotomised and ischemic neurons. Furthermore, we want to establish tools that counteract the factors in the CNS environment that inhibit axon regeneration, and to increase the regenerative response of axotomised CNS neurons.