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Neurosurgery

Kroner Lab

Dr. Antje Kroner-Milsch

The overarching goal of my laboratory is to improve the quality of life and health of persons living with spinal cord injury (SCI). To achieve this goal, our work focuses on targeted control of the secondary tissue damage. Primary tissue damage, most often caused by a mechanical impact, is significantly worsened by multiple secondary processes, which include inflammation and hemorrhage. Current research in my lab is focused on tissue protection after SCI by interrupting hemorrhage induced and inflammatory processes which directly promote tissue damage and neuronal death and result in impaired functional outcome.

One research focus of my lab is the targeted inhibition of pro-inflammatory factors. This approach aims to specifically inhibit harmful, prolonged, and exacerbated inflammation, while maintaining the essential and tissue protective inflammatory processes. Previous experiments have shown the importance of pro-inflammatory factors in mediating inflammatory damage but also directly affecting neuronal survival and function, resulting in impaired recovery. A comprehensive understanding of inflammatory processes after SCI is essential for translational approaches in specifically targeting and inhibiting harmful mediators.

A second focus of my research investigates the role of hemorrhage after SCI. The reactivity of free hemoglobin and its downstream products induces a pronounced inflammatory and tissue toxic response. Interrupting this process will have a significant impact on the tissue preservation and functional outcome.

Ongoing Studies

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Role of the Pro-inflammatory Cytokines IL-12 and IL-23 in Secondary Damage after Spinal Cord Injury
Funding: Department of Veterans Affairs, VA-ORD
The Functional Role and Therapeutic Potential of Heme Binding Proteins after Cervical SCI
Funding: Wings for Life
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Facilities

The Kroner Lab enjoys the use of shared molecular biology, histology and microscopy, and biomechanics facilities at the Zablocki VA Medical Center Laboratories, as well as imaging facilities at the Center for Imaging Research at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  

Learn more about shared facilities at ZVAMC Labs

Funding

  • Medical College of Wisconsin logo
  • NIH NINDS Logo
  • Craig H Neilsen Foundation_Logo
  • Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Logo

Lab Members

Led by Lab Director and Principal Investigator Dr. Antje Kroner-Milsch, the team at the Kroner Laboratory specializes in inflammatory response to spinal cord injury and its inhibition.  

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Antje Kroner-Milsch, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery; Associate Director, Neuroscience Research Center

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Michael Abiola

Graduate Student

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Emma Augustine

Year Entered MCW: 2024

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Shannon Kafura

Graduate Student

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Benjamin Vogel

Research Technologist I

Recent Publications

Publications of Antje Kroner-Milsch PhD, MD from the Faculty Collaboration Database

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