Name:

Aisha Walker

Mentor:

William D. Hill, Ph.D.

Year of Entry:

2002

Education:

B.S. in Biology, Presbyterian College,

Clinton, SC

Paragraph Describing Interests:

I am interested in determining the role of the small chemokine Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in cerebral repair following stroke.  Specifically, I am interested if SDF-1 will aid in cerebral repair by recruiting bone marrow derived cells to the injured area and by inducing neovascularization in the ischemic area following ischemic stroke.

Research Grants:

Pre-Doctoral Scholar Award – Southern Region Educational Board (2002-2007)

National Research Service Award Pre-doctoral Fellowship – NIH (2004-2008)

Publications:

Walker, AL, Zheng, J, Xu l, Miller J, Martin-Studdard A, Wang Z, Peiper SC, Waller JL, Hess DC, Hill WD.  Stromal cell-derived factor-1 and its antagonist, FC122, increase bone marrow-derived cell migration to the ischemic penumbra in a mouse model of stroke.  Poster presented at Annual Society for Neuroscience meeting October 2005, San Diego, CA

Hill WD, Hess DC, Xu L, Martin-Studdard A, Zheng J, Walker AL. Timing of GCSF treatment post-stroke effects recruitment of mobilized adult stem and progenitor cells from bone marrow into ischemic tissue.  Poster presented at Annual International Society for Stem Cell Research meeting June 2005, San Francisco CA.