Dr. Wu’s laboratory studies secondary injury processes following traumatic spinal cord and brain injury (SCI/TBI) and pharmacological/gene therapeutic interventions for CNS trauma. My ultimate goal is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanism of functional recovery after CNS trauma and to develop potentially therapeutic strategies. Specifically, my research dedicates to: (1) Elucidating molecular mechanisms responsible for SCI/TBI-induced CNS neuroinflammation and neurological dysfunction. (2) Addressing the function and the mechanisms of autophagy-lysosomal pathway and specific microRNAs in neuronal injury after SCI which could open a potential novel treatment avenue against SCI as well as identify candidate molecular targets for these manipulations; (3) Identifying the genetic and genomic factors that impact SCI-PAIN as well as identifying new therapeutic targets to reduce or eliminate SCI-PAIN, including a truncated isoform of the BDNF receptor tropomyosin related kinase B (trkB), trkB.T1 and NOX2. This may lead to effective therapeutic interventions that limit post-SCI cognitive decline and depression.