Neural Control of Organ Degeneration and Regeneration (NeuralCODR) Training Program

The NeuralCODR training program is an interdisciplinary training program at the intersection of neurophysiology and organ engineering/modeling that investigates how the central nervous system communicates with other organ systems.

The training program can be distinguished from traditional physiology or neuroscience programs by its strategic focus on the interface between regeneration/disease organ model systems and functional neuroanatomy and physiology.

NeuralCODR was conceived by Philip Horner, PhD, and a team of expert faculty from across several Texas Medical Center institutions with a rich history of research training, clinical modelling and education, including Rice University, University of Houston, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Baylor College of Medicine.

O r g a n Eng ineering N e u r a l Innervation and and T ool s Neural Devel o pm e n t

Peripheral Organ DisordersNervous System and

The 2020 NeuralCODR Fellows

NEURALCODR FELLOWS

Caroline Cvetkovic, PhD

For her NeuralCODR fellowship in the lab of Robert Krencik, PhD, Cvetkovic is investigating the relationship between astrocytes and neurons in the brain. She is developing human stem-cell derived 3D neural tissue cultures to gain deeper insights into neuronal development and degeneration that could someday lead to regenerative clinical therapies.

Betsy Salazar

As a NeuralCODR fellow under the guidance of Alvaro Munoz, PhD, and Timothy Boone, MD, PhD, Salazar is investigating the impact of therapeutic drugs on functional recovery following spinal cord injury in rodent models. She is specifically interested in assessing motor function recovery using behavioral tests as well as assessing the impact that treatments have at the cellular level.