Dr. Melissa R. Andrews University of Southampton, UK

Dr. Andrews is an Associate Professor of Systems Physiology at the University of Southampton, UK. She received a PhD in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in 2006, where she evaluated the role of olfactory ensheathing cells in enhancing regeneration after spinal... read morecord injury under the supervision of Professor Dennis Stelzner. Her post-doctoral work was performed at the University of Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair in the laboratory of Professor James Fawcett. This research focused on the potential of transmembrane receptors known as integrins to promote axonal growth after spinal cord injury as well as studying their ability to transport in vivo within central and peripheral nervous system axons. During her time in Cambridge, she also served as a Research Associate for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and the Plasticise European Research Consortium. Following this she was a Lecturer in Anatomy at the University of St Andrews School of Medicine, after which she joined the University of Southampton, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, in January 2017.

Her research focus is aimed at enhancing the repair of the acutely or chronically injured brain and spinal cord as well as investigating why certain parts of the nervous system can regenerate while others do not. Her work involves targeting the intrinsic inability of the CNS to regenerate using various approaches to reintroduce necessary proteins that are missing in the adult and injured nervous systems, including utilizing gene therapy and cell-derived vesicles. In addition, she is interested in incorporating cellular therapies to promote neuroprotection and regrowth in the damaged or degenerated nervous system.