Everyone is invited to attend!

Manitoba Neuroscience Network Seminar Series - Dr. Jerry Silver

Friday, May 16, 2014 | 12:00 Noon

Theatre B - Basic Med Sciences Bldg.

Dr. Jerry Silver http://neurowww.cwru.edu/faculty/silver/index

Professor - Department of Neurosciences

Case Western Reserve University

Topic: Functional regeneration into and beyond the glial scar

Biosketch: Dr. Silver is currently a Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and adjunct Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Dr. Silver received his Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve in 1974, with further post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School. He is recognized internationally for his long lasting research in the field of regeneration, spinal cord injury and paralysis.

Dr. Silver is the recipient of several prestigious awards/recognitions including:

* Herbert S. Steuer Memorial Award (1974)

* Ameritec Prize for significant accomplishments toward a cure for paralysis (2003)

* Christopher Reeve-Joan Irvine Research Medal (2003), for critical contributions that may lead to the promotion of repair of the damaged spinal cord

* Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award (2004 , that recognizes a select group of NIH grantees with seminal contributions to their field of neuroscience

* Erica Nader Award (2008), for breakthrough research in the field of spinal cord injury

* Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2011)

Dr. Silver has served on a number of editorial boards including the journals Glia, The Journal of Neurocytology, Developmental Neurobiology, The Journal of Neuroscience and Experimental Neurology (where he is a Section Editor). He regularly reviews articles for over 35 high impact journals and he reviews grants for 18 national and international organizations. He has served on a variety of NIH study sections

since 1982 including the Neurobiology Review Group, Neurology B2, The Visual Sciences C Study Section, and the Clinical Neurology, Neurotransmitters and Transplantation Study Section. He serves as a regular member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Christopher Reeve Foundation and of the Scientific Board of the International Spinal Research Trust (England). He has served as lead or senior author

on more than 160 publications.

A brief synopsis of Dr. Silver's work: Over the past several decades, Dr. Silver has concentrated his research efforts learning whether molecules that glia produce after spinal cord injury may play a major role in blocking regeneration. Of particular interest, the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), were first discovered by the Silver's lab in the early 1990's to be involved in impeding regeneration. His lab has pioneered the use of the CSPG degrading enzyme chondroitinase to reveal the important role of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sugar chains. Dr. Silver's lab has shown that adult nerve cells could regenerate their axons with high efficiency and at high rates of speed even in fully degenerating white matter and even at long chronic stages after injury, challenging long held beliefs that this was impossible. Currently, his research focuses on the regenerative approaches that target the CSPG receptors. These receptors identified originally by his laboratory may hold the key for enhancing regeneration after Spinal Cord Injury.

For more information, contact the MNN Office at

(T) 235.3939 or email: mnn@sbrc.ca

Presented in co-operation with University of Manitoba

Clinical Neuroscience Rounds

Kelly Jorundson Winnipeg Chapter Society for Neuroscience R4046 - 351 Tache Avenue Winnipeg, MB R2H 2A6

Tel: 204.235.3939 Fax: 204.237.4092 Email: kjorund@sbrc.ca OR kjorund@yahoo.ca

Website: www.sfn-manitoba.ca