Susan E. Mackinnon, M.D.

DEPARTMENT OF Surgery
Keywords: neuroscience, immunology, nerve allograft, nerve regeneration

Ongoing investigations in our laboratory include development of novel strategies to induce donor-specific tolerance in peripheral nerve allotransplantation, methods of graft pretreatment/preservation, and agents which promote acceleration of axonal regeneration following injury and repair of nerves. We have shown that FK506 accelerates functional recovery following axonotmetic and neurotmetic injury in rodents and are currently developing a murine model to more precisely investigate the relationship between the immunological and regenerative effects of this agent. Additionally, we are examining the efficacy of co-stimulatory blockade with an anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody in a primate model of composite tissue allotransplantation.