M.D. 1971, University of Chicago
Dr. Faden's research addresses pathobiological mechanisms of neuronal cell death at the molecular and cellular levels, and the development of novel neuroprotective treatment strategies. The program is highly interdisciplinary, utilizing molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, pharmacology, behavior, magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, and quantitative histological analysis. There are 4 major lines of investigation:
1.Examining mechanisms of cell death in development and CNS injury, using a variety of in vivo models (rat/mouse head injury, rat/mouse spinal cord injury) and in vitro models (trauma/stretch injury, chemical ischemia) with particular emphasis on the apoptotic-necrotic continuum;
2.Elucidating the role of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) in posttraumatic cell death, and delineating the signal transduction pathways involved and the role of neuronal-glial interaction;
3.Using temporal gene profiling to evaluate signal transduction pathways and gene-gene interactions in traumatic brain and spinal cord injury; and
4.Developing novel neuroprotective agents in collaboration with several drug discovery groups.