Brain is a dynamic organ. It is continuously adapting and changing in response to changes in the external and internal environments. This property of the brain, which is also called brain plasticity, allows learning. It also facilitates recoveries from injuries to the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves. Goal of the research in our laboratory is to understand how organization of different areas of the brain is altered by spinal cord injuries, and how we can use the ability of the brain to change for better recoveries from the injuries. The second goal of our research is to understand how the somatosensory and the motor areas of the brain process sensory information to enable tactile perception.

Following spinal cord injuries, the neurons that no longer receive sensory inputs get reactivated by the remaining uninjured inputs, resulting in reorganization of the information processing streams in the brain. Such reorganization can also affect perceptual abilities. In our lab we are determining the nature and extent of such reorganizations, and the mechanisms that underlie such changes. We address these questions using in vivo models of partial spinal cord injuries. In order to help recoveries from spinal cord injuries we are using transplant of stem cells and neural precursor cells to establish parameters for optimum recoveries from spinal cord injuries. We are also developing brain-machine interface devices to help patients with injuries.