Gary Brook

PD Dr. G.A. Brook, Dr. P. Achenbach – Neuroregeneration group

 

Main research interests:

  • The study of cell-substrate interactions between neural cells and bioengineered 3D matrices / scaffolds in vitro and in vivo
  • Development of in vitro organotypic models to study aspects of neuronal degeneration and protection, axon regeneration and remyelination
  • Development and assessment of cell- and bioengineering-based intervention strategies to promote functional tissue repair in in vivo models of traumatic nervous tissue injury (PNS and CNS)
  • Investigation of foreign body response and tissue scarring when bioengineered scaffolds are used to bridge animal models PNS/CNS injury or in cases of attempted clinical repair of injured nerves
  • The use of post-mortem human spinal cord samples or biopsied/resected human nerve samples for correlative investigations of lesion-induced changes in experimental animal tissues and in lesioned human tissues

Main teaching activities:

  • Master’s course in Biomedical Engineering
    • Basic human anatomy and medical terminology
    • Optional course in neuroscience
    • Practical course in immunohistochemical and histological techniques
  • Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences
    • Lectures, practicals and seminars in neurotraumatology and regenerative medicine
  • Anatomy of the nervous system for Neurotechnology and Neuroengineering MSc students
  • Internships are available for students interested in developing laboratory experience associated with the themes of neuroregeneration and biomaterials.

Selected original articles:

Selected reviews/book chapters

  • Dalton PD, O´Neill KL, Pêgo AP, Plant GW, Nisbet DR, Oudega M, Brook GA, Harvey AR (2022) Tissue Engineering of the Nervous System. In: Tissue Engineering 3rd Edition. Chapter 20. Clemens Van Blitterswijk, Jan De Boer (eds.). Academic Press - Elsevier. ISBN: 9780128244593.
  • Gerardo-Nava JL, Rose JC, Altinova H, Dalton PD, De Laporte L, Brook GA (2020) Nanofibres and Nanostructured Scaffolds for Nervous System Lesions. In: Nanomedicines for Brain Drug Delivery Chapter 3, pp. 61-101. Morales JO, Gaillard PJ (eds.) Nanomedicines for Brain Springer Protocols, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, New York
  • GA Brook, D. Hodde, T Kretschmer (2014) Grundlegendes zu Degeneration und Regeneration von Nerven. In: Kretschmer, Antoniadis, Assmus (eds.).  Nervenchirurgie. Springer, ISBN: 978-3-642-36895-3.
  • Hodde D, Gerardo-Nava JL, Deumens R, Mey J, Brook GA (2012). Electrospinning of Nanofibres for Repair of the Injured Peripheral Nervous System. In: Nanomedicine and the Nervous System. Ed. Preedy VR. Science Publishers, New Hampshire USA.
  • Deumens R et al., (2010) Repairing injured peripheral nerves: bridging the gap. Progress in Neurobiology. 92(3):245-76