Regulation of Brain Fluid Homeostasis by Dynamic Aquaporin-4 Subcellular Relocalisation Aston University

Overview

Aquaporins facilitate passive, bidirectional water transport in all cells and tissues. In the brain and spinal cord, aquaporin-4 facilitates the exchange of water across the blood-spinal cord and blood-brain barriers, controlling cell volume, extracellular space volume and astrocyte migration. Recently, we have demonstrated that aquaporin-4 localisation is dynamically regulated at the subcellular level, affecting membrane water permeability. In animal models of ageing, stroke, traumatic injury and sleep disruption, all risk factors for neurodegeneration, both glymphatic function and aquaporin-4 perivascular localisation are reduced. Brain and spinal cord oedema are caused by the influx of water through aquaporin-4 following insults such as traumatic injury, stroke or cancer. We have demonstrated that reducing dynamic subcellular relocalisation of aquaporin-4 to the blood-spinal cord or blood-brain barriers reduces oedema and accelerates functional recovery in rodent injury models. Targeting dynamic aquaporin-4 subcellular relocalisation provides a novel approach to modulating aquaporin-4 function for clinical benefit.

The long-term impacts of this Regulation of Brain Fluid Homeostasis by Dynamic Aquaporin-4 Subcellular Relocalisation course at  Aston University  will be the identification of a mechanistic framework to understand the fundamental physiological process of brain water homeostasis and the use of this knowledge to prevent brain swelling and neurodegeneration, contributing to an urgent and unmet clinical need for new effective medicines.

Career prospects

Studying a PhD is great route into academia and industries that are centred on research and innovation. Areas with a demand for very high level and specialised research skills often demand PhDs.

In addition to this specialist knowledge, PhD education will help you to develop a set of valuable transferrable skills. The very nature of studying an intensive research degree will enable you to become a team player, develop problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and advanced presentation and communication skills.

The variety of PhD project topics at Aston means that the destinations of our graduates vary substantially. Some choose to continue into academia, at either Aston or other leading institutions, while others go onto use their newly acquired skills in a range of research, healthcare, industry or charitable fields. When selecting your chosen PhD path at Aston, your supervisor will be able to provide you with relevant career opportunities that could be available to you in your specialist area.