Dr. Horner

Research Labs:
Horner Lab - Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

• Research Overview
• Investigators/ Researchers
• Current Research
• Research Questions
• Research Methods
• Bibliography of Selected Publications
• Contact Information

Research Overview

Stem Cell

Philip Horner, PhD is an Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery. His research focuses on stem cells as a basis for regeneration in spinal cord injury. This translation of a new and exciting area of basis research to a major clinical problem has been of great interest to the more recent neurosurgeon-neuroscientist and basic science trainees. He has collaborative projects with Dr. Morrison and Dr. Rostomily and has multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant research support.

Lab Researchers

Investigators /Researchers

• Phil Horner, PhD

Current Research

• Glaucoma

Stem Cells


• Implications of aging on stem cells
• Stem cells and spinal cord injury

Research Questions

• Can stem cells replace lost cells in spinal cord injury?
• Does aging negatively impact endogenous stem cells?
• Can we manipulate retinal glia to preserve retinal ganglion cells in Glaucoma?

Research Methods

• Quantative morphology in the optic nerve
• Brain tissue processing for cellular analysis
• RNA/DNA analysis for gene expression

Bibliography of Selected Publications

1. Inman, D.M, R.M. Sappington, P.J. Horner and D.J. Calkins. 2005.Quantitative Correlation of Optic Nerve Pathology with Ocular Pressure and Corneal Thickness in the DBA/2J Mouse Model of Glaucoma. IOVS 47(3):986-96. PMID: 16505033
2. Steele, M.R., D.M. Inman, D.J. Calkins, P.J. Horner, M.L. Vetter. 2005. Microarray Analysis of Retinal Gene Expression in the DBA/2J Model of Glaucoma. IOVS 47(3):977-85. PMID: 16505032
3. Inman, D.M. and P.J. Horner. 2007. Reactive Non-Proliferative Gliosis Predominates in a Chronic Model of Glaucoma. Glia, 55(9):942-53. PMID: 17457855
4. Petit, A., D.L. Sellers, D. J. Liebl, M. Tessier-Lavigne, T.E. Kennedy, P.J. Horner. 2007. Adult Spinal Cord Progenitor Cells are repelled by netrin-1 in the embryonic and injured adult spinal cord. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Nov 6;104(45):17837-42. PMID: 17978191
5. Buckingham, B., D. Inman, W. Lambert, E. Oglesby, D.J. Calkins, M. Steele, M. Vetter, N. Marsh-Armstrong and P.J. Horner. 2008. Progressive Ganglion Cell Degeneration Precedes Neuronal Loss in a Mouse Model of Glaucoma. Journal of Neuroscience, 28(11):2735-44. PMID: 18337403
6. Soto., I., E. Oglesby, B.P. Buckingham, J.L. Son, E.D.O. Roberson, M.R. Steele, D.M. Inman, M.L. Vetter, P.J. Horner and N. Marsh-Armstrong. 2007. Retinal Ganglion Cells Down-regulate Gene Expression and Lose their Axons within the Optic Nerve Head in a Mouse Glaucoma Model. Journal of Neuroscience, 9;28(2):548-61. PMID: 18184797
7. Jurate Lasiene, Aya Matsui, Yuhito Sawa, Fernando Wong, Philip J. Horner. 2009. Age-related myelin dynamics revealed by increased oligodendrogenesis and short internodes. Aging Cell, 2009. Apr;8(2):201-13. PMID: 19338498
8. Lasiene, J., L. Shupe, S. Perlmutter, P.J. Horner. 2008. No evidence for chronic demyelination in spared axons following spinal cord injury in a mouse. Journal of Neuroscience, 9;28(15):3887-96. PMID: 18400887
9. White, B.D., R.J. Nathe, D.O. Maris, N.K. Nguyen, J.M. Goodson, R.T. Moon, and P.J. Horner. 2009. bcatenin signaling increases in proliferating NG2+ progenitors and astrocytes during posttraumatic gliogenesis in the adult brain. Stem Cells. (2):297-307. PMID: 19960516
10. Bosco, A., D.M.Inman, M.R.Steele, G.Wu, N.Marsh-Armstrong, D.J. Calkins, P.J. Horner, M.L.Vetter. 2008. Reduced retina microglial activation and improved optic nerve integrity with minocycline treatment in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma. IOVS, 49(4):1437-46. PMID: 18385061
11. Drew L. Sellers, Don O. Maris, and P.J. Horner. 2009. Post-injury niches direct temporal shifts in progenitor fate-choice to direct niche succession and repair after spinal cord injury. Journal of Neuroscience, 29(20):6722-33. PMID: 19458241
12. Baltan, S, D.M. Inman, C. Danilov, R.S. Morrisona D.J. Calkins, P.J. Horner. 2010. Metabolic vulnerability disposes axons to dysfunction in a model of glaucomatous degeneration. Journal of Neuroscience. 30(16):5644-52, PMID: 20410117, /with cover/
13. Crish, S.D., R.M. Sappington, D.M. Inman, P.J. Horner and D.J. Calkins. 2010. Distal Axonopathy with Structural Persistence in Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(11):5196-201, PMID: 20194762

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Contact Information

For more information on the Horner Lab, contact Phil Horner at: phorner@uw.edu

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