Topic: Understanding How Light Lightens the Mood: Direct Retino-Raphe Projection Alters Serotonergic Tone and Affective Behavior
Reporter: Professor SO, Kwok-Fai

Time: July 8, 2013, 10:00AM

Location: Meeting Room, Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University

Currently Chair Professor, Department of Anatomy, and Jessie Ho Professor in Neuroscience, atThe University of Hong Kong (http://www.hku.hk/anatomy/staff/KFso.html; http://hub.hku.hk/rp/rp00329),  member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, member of the Advisory Committee/ 2011 Program, member of Consultative Committee/ the national 973 Program (www.973.gov.cn/) , Co-Chairman of the Board of Director of the China Spinal Cord Injury Network, Co-Director of the State Key Laboratory ofBrain and Cognitive Sciences at HKU (www.hku.hk/fmri/), and Editor-in-Chief of Neural Regeneration Research (www.nrronline.org). He received his Ph.D. degree from MIT. He is one of the pioneers in the field of axonal regeneration in visual system. He was the first to show lengthy regeneration of retinal ganglion cells in adult mammals with peripheral nerve graft. He is currently using multiple approaches to promote axonal regeneration in the optic nerve and spinal cord. His team identifies neuroprotective and regenerative factors including: peptide nanofiber scaffold, trophic factors, exercise, herbal extracts, other small molecules, immune responses and environmental manipulation. He is the author and co-author of over 300+ publications.