This project will develop a working in vitro blood-brain barrier model with endothelial cells isolated from human brain microvasculature. this model will allow rapid assessment of the efficacy of drug delivery systems designedto bring pharmaceutically useful compounds to the brain parenchyma.… More

Nerve growth factor (ngf) has been shown in vitro and in vivo to support the growth of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. in alzheimer's disease, these cells undergo significant degenerative changes which may be responsible for the cognitive and memory deficits associated with this disorder.… More

This research project will develop a monoclonal antibody-based system to reversibly permeabilize the blood-brain barrier (bbb) to blood-borne therapeutics. such antibodies also may serve as carrier molecules to bring therapeutics to the bbb. to this end a naturally occurring receptor on brain… More

Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors are to be developed for transgene delivery to thenervous system (CNS). In particular, we are engineering rAAVs designed to transduce an expression cathe human gene for glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). GDNF is a novel member of the… More

DESCRIPTION: While opiate agonists can be effective for treating abusers, they are. inappropriate in many circumstances. The opiate antagonist naltrexone (NTX) has been approved by the FDA and endorsed by NIDA and other government agencies as an important treatment… More