Mission Statement
Functional restoration of severely injured peripheral nerves remains one of the biggest challenges in regenerative medicine. To address that need, our research involves
- bridging nerve defects by implementation of biomaterials together with cell-based as well as cell-free strategies to support the intrinsic regenerative potential of peripheral nerves.
- investigating the cellular and structural components contributing to the regeneration of damaged nerves to exploit their favorable effects in novel therapeutic approaches.
The ultimate goal is to find the ideal combination of nerve conduits, intraluminal guiding structures and fillings that mimic a nervous environment and enrich them with the right cues to stimulate a directed and fast regrowth of nerve fibers.
Our research questions comprise:
- What are the prerequisites of an ideal biomaterial in peripheral nerve repair?
- How can the repair state of Schwann cell be sustained or manipulated?
- How can we enhance existing animal models for nerve regeneration studies?
- And how can we improve read-outs to analyze the regeneration status of injured peripheral nerves in more detail?
To answer these questions, we put together an interdisciplinary team composed of clinicians, molecular biologists, and material scientists. We profit from each other’s expertise, which allows us to combine advanced in vitro and in vivo models, high resolution imaging technologies, and fundamental material science.
