Vijaya Kumari, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.

Professor
3408 Tupper Hall, Davis Campus
(530) 752-3203
e-mail

Research Interests

Our interests are in the area of injury responses of the brain. In particular, we investigate the proliferative and hypertrophic changes in astrocytes that lead to glial scarring or astrogliosis. The potential role of various injury mediators in regulating the cellular, subcellular and molecular events that result in astrogliosis is of special interest. Through these studies, we hope to determine how injury-induced alterations in astrocyte properties may modulate neuroregenerative events such as neuron survival, axon growth and re-establishment of CNS connections.

Representative Publications

1996 Reilly, J.F. and V.G. Kumari. Alterations in fibroblast growth factor receptor expression following brain injury. Experimental Neurology 140:139-150. 1997 Reilly, J.F., L. Bair and V.G. Kumari. Heparan sulfate modifies the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on glial reactivity. Brain Res 759(2):277-284. 1998 Reilly, J.F., P.A. Maher and V.G. Kumari. Regulation of astrocyte GFAP expression by TGF-b1 and FGF-2. Glia. 22:202-210.

Recent/Current Teaching

Gross Anatomy

Neuroanatomy