Zin Khaing, PhD Research Focus
Research focus
Mammalian adult nervous system has some capacity to repair itself albeit in a limited fashion. Our group is interested in factors that influence the plasticity, regeneration, and repair within the mammalian adult central nervous system for its optimal function during normal aging, disease, and after trauma. We use an integrated neuroscience approach, employing both cutting-edge and classical neuroscience techniques, to uncover the role of vasculature, neuroimmune cells and extracellular matrix molecules in the degeneration, repair, and regeneration processes. We are neuroscientists and engineers working together to discover new mechanisms and insights from pathophysiological changes after trauma and disease of the spinal cord and brain tissue with the goal of improving outcomes for patients.
Associate Professor, Department of Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology
Laboratory: Integrated Neuroscience
Phone: 502-852-9990
zin.khaing@louisville.edu
Key research areas
- Visualizing injury evolution after trauma to the spinal cord using novel imaging techniques
- Development of ultrasound-based imaging biomarkers for acute spinal cord injury patients
- Optimizing functional outcomes in chronically injured rats
- Improving bladder function after spinal cord injury
- Spinal cord injury progression in aged animals
- Neurovascular changes during Alzheimer’s disease and aging
Current projects
- Uncover acute microvascular changes within the injured spinal cord using novel imaging techniques (NIH – R01- Khaing)
- Development of ultrasound-based imaging biomarkers for acute spinal cord injury patients (DoD CDMRP TRA - Hofstetter & Khaing)
- Optimizing functional outcomes in chronically injured rats (CHNF- Khaing & Chandran)
- Improving bladder function after spinal cord injury (DoD CDMRP TRA – Khaing & Yang)
- Spinal cord injury progression in aged animals (NIH R01- Khaing)
- Neurovascular changes during Alzheimer’s disease and aging (NIH R01 – Khaing & Reed)
- A Noninvasive neurotrophic factor treatment to repair the injured spinal cord (DoD CDMRP IIRA – Zhang & Khaing)
- Evaluating the therapeutic potential of altered hemodynamics to treat spinal cord injury (NJ Commission on SCI Research – Galie & Khaing)
Team
- Preeja Chandran, PhD – Post Doctoral Fellow
- Lindsay Cates, BS – Lab Manager
- Anton Odarenko, MS – Ultrasound Engineer
- Dylan Jensen, BS – Research Technician
Recent publications
Biomimetic 3D Hydrogels with Aligned Topography for Neural Tissue Engineering. Severs LJ, Katta A, Cates LN, Dewees DM, Hoagland RT, Horner PJ, Hofstetter CP, Khaing ZZ. Polymers (Basel). 2024 Dec 20;16(24):3556. doi: 10.3390/polym16243556. PMID: 39771407 Free PMC article. |
Khaing ZZ, Leyendecker J, Harmon JN, Sivakanthan S, Cates LN, Hyde JE, Krueger M, Glenny RW, Bruce M, Hofstetter CP. Sci Transl Med. 2024 Sep 18;16(765):eadn4970. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adn4970. Epub 2024 Sep 18. PMID: 39292799 |
Harmon JN, Chandran P, Chandrasekaran A, Hyde JE, Hernandez GJ, Reed MJ, Bruce MF, Khaing ZZ. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024 Dec 11;80(1):glae215. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glae215. PMID: 39188137 |
Harmon JN, Chandran P, Chandrasekaran A, Hyde JE, Hernandez GJ, Reed MJ, Bruce MF, Khaing ZZ. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Mar 14:2024.03.12.584672. doi: 10.1101/2024.03.12.584672. Update in: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024 Dec 11;80(1):glae215. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glae215. PMID: 38559128 Free PMC article. Preprint. |
Harmon JN, Hyde JE, Jensen DE, D'cessare EC, Odarenko AA, Bruce MF, Khaing ZZ. Exp Neurol. 2024 Apr;374:114681. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114681. Epub 2024 Jan 8. PMID: 38199511 Free PMC article. |
The Brain and Spinal Microvasculature in Normal Aging. Khaing ZZ, Chandrasekaran A, Katta A, Reed MJ. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023 Aug 2;78(8):1309-1319. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glad107. PMID: 37093786 Free PMC article. Review. |
Clinical Trials Targeting Secondary Damage after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury. Khaing ZZ, Chen JY, Safarians G, Ezubeik S, Pedroncelli N, Duquette RD, Prasse T, Seidlits SK. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 14;24(4):3824. doi: 10.3390/ijms24043824. PMID: 36835233 Free PMC article. Review. |
We are hiring!
Interested in joining our team of committed and talented neuroscientists & engineers?
Contact Dr. Zin Khaing at zin.khaing@louisville.edu.