John J. Bright, Ph.D.
Senior Investigator
Senior Investigator
My laboratory investigates the mechanisms in the regulation of growth, immune and inflammatory responses relevant to multiple sclerosis, cancer and stem cells of the brain. We use a combination of cell biology, immunology, molecular biology and bioinformatics techniques in vitro and in relevant transgenic and knockout mouse models in vivo. Our research has been funded by National Institutes of Health, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and other foundations. Our findings have been published extensively.
Brain is an immune privileged site nevertheless a breakdown in the immune-regulatory system leads to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). We study the role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of MS and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We determine the regulation of immune and inflammatory signaling network in EAE/MS. We examine the use of nuclear receptors and nutraceuticals in the treatment of EAE/MS and other CNS diseases.
Brain has limited ability to regenerate lost cells and repair function in the CNS. Neural stem cells are a small population of resident stem cells in the brain. We isolate neural stem cells and study their potential to promote CNS repair in EAE/MS. We also isolate brain tumor stem cells and study their self-renewal and drug resistance properties. We study the mechanism of immune evasion in brain tumor stem cells. We also examine the use of nuclear receptors and nutraceuticals to regulate normal and cancer stem cells in the brain.
1977-1980 | B. Sc., Zoology, Madurai Kamaraj University, India |
1983-1985 | M. Sc., Zoology, Madurai Kamaraj University, India |
1985-1986 | M. Phil., Zoology, Madurai Kamaraj University, India |
1986-1991 | Ph. D., Biochemistry, University of Kerala, India |
1991-1994 | Postdoctoral, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India |
1994-1998 | Postdoctoral, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN |