Laila Zai (laila.zai@childrens.harvard.edu)

Education
1998 B.S., Biology/Neuroscience, University of Virginia
2005 Ph.D., Georgetown University Medical School

Professional Positions
2005-Present: Post Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Neurosurgery, Benowitz Lab, Children's Hospital, Boston

Awards and Honors
2003: Second place finalist in the Georgetown University Biomedical Sciences Research Competition
2001: Individual NRSA, NINDS, “The role of growth factors in cell proliferation after spinal cord injury”

Publications

• Lee K, Schottler F, Anzivino M.H, Collins JL, Frankel EA, Chen Z-F, Bertram E and Zai LJ (1999). Neuronal development in the tish rat. In: Abnormal Cortical Development and Epilepsy. (eds: R. Spreafico, G. Avanzini and F. Andermann) John Libbey and Co. pp. 145-157.
• Rosenberg LJ*, Zai LJ*, Wrathall JR (2004). Chronic alterations in the cellular composition of spinal cord white matter following contusion injury. Glia. 2005 Jan 1;49(1):107-20
• Zai LJ, Wrathall JR (2004). Cell proliferation and replacement following contusive spinal cord injury. Glia. 2005 May; 50(3):247-57
• Zai LJ, Yoo S, Wrathall JR (2004). Growth factor mediated upregulation of cell proliferation after traumatic spinal cord injury. Brain Research, in press.
• Zai LJ, Wrathall JR (2004). Treatment with rhGGF2 increases endogenous progenitor cell proliferation after contusive spinal cord injury and improves chronic recovery. Glia, submitted.

Conference Proceedings
Zai LJ, Ra A, Wrathall JR (2001) Cell proliferation and GGF, CNTF expression after spinal cord injury. Society for Neuroscience Abstract vol. 27, 770.9.

Zai LJ, Wrathall JR (2002) Cell proliferation and survival chronically after spinal cord injury. National and International Neurotrauma Society Abstract vol 19 (10) p 1317.

Zai LJ, Wrathall JR (2003) Cell proliferation and its relationship to FGF2 expression after spinal cord injury. Euroglia Society Abstract vol. 4, appendix P267.

Zai LJ, Wrathall JR (2003) Cell proliferation and its relationship to FGF2 expression after spinal cord injury. Society for Neuroscience Abstract vol 28, 954.12.

Teaching Experience
Howard Hughes summer course in neuroscience for incoming first year college students – section on vertebrate and invertebrate embryology and development.

Committee Duties
1999-2002: Admissions Committee for the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience
2002-2003: Student Advisory Committee for the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience