Sharma Sansar, Ph.D., discovered neural plasticity in the formation of optic nerve connections to the brain centers in lower vertebrates with Michael Gaze at Edinburgh University. In subsequent studies, the extent of this phenomenon was explored in higher vertebrates, specifically in experimental glaucoma in rats and pigs. Since there is selective cell death of ganglion cells in the eye in glaucoma, the fate of the remaining cells was explored with the anatomical, pharmacological, electrophysiological, and behavioral aspects. These ongoing studies gave further credence to the phenomenon of plasticity. 

Areas of Expertise

• Neural Specificity 
• Plasticity in the formation of nerve connections 
• Neuroscience
• Glaucoma

Education

• Post-Doctoral Fellow: Washington University St. Louis, M.O.
• Doctoral: Physiology University of Edinburgh, School of Medicine, U.K.
• Masters: Panjab University, India

• Undergraduate: Panjab University, India

Honors and Awards

• Honoris Causa Doctorate Faculty of Medicine Bilbao Spain
• Best teacher awards-NYMC
• Research Career Development Award NIH
• Curriculum innovation award-NYMC
• Marine Biology Labs Summer fellowship 
• I.N.S.E.R.M. Fellowship France

Research

• Regeneration of peripheral nerve i.e. recurrent laryngeal nerve in rats
• Spinal cord regeneration in lower vertebrates
• Development and regeneration of visual system
• Neurobiology of axonal regeneration
• Regeneration in the spinal cord
• Experimental Glaucoma and changes in the visual pathway

Publications

• Pereiro X, Ruzafa N, Urcola JH, et. al. "Differential Distribution of RBPMS in Pig, Rat, and Human Retina after Damage." International journal of molecular sciences, 21(23), (2020) . doi: 10.3390/ijms21239330
• Vecino E, Urcola H, Bayon A, et. al. "Ocular Hypertension/Glaucoma in Minipigs: Episcleral Veins Cauterization and Microbead Occlusion Methods." Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 1695(), (2018) 41-48. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7407-8_4
• Stowell C, Burgoyne CF, Tamm ER, et. al. "Biomechanical aspects of axonal damage in glaucoma: A brief review." Experimental eye research, 157(), (2017) 13-19. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2017.02.005
• Tamm ER, Ethier CR, Lasker/IRRF Initiative on Astrocytes and Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration Participants, et. al. "Biological aspects of axonal damage in glaucoma: A brief review." Experimental eye research, 157(), (2017) 5-12. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2017.02.006
• Vecino E, Rodriguez FD, Ruzafa N, et. al. "Glia-neuron interactions in the mammalian retina." Progress in retinal and eye research, 51(), (2016) 1-40. doi: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2015.06.003
• Qin Q, Patil KA, Gronert K, et. al. "Neuroprotectin D1 inhibits retinal ganglion cell death following axotomy." Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids, 79(6), (2008) 201-7. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2008.09.022
• Sarup V, McEwan GC, Thompson C, et. al. "Dorzolamide and timolol saves retinal ganglion cells in glaucomatous adult rats." Journal of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics : the official journal of the Association for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 21(6), (2005) 454-62.

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Professional Service

• Editor: Encyclopedia Glaucoma section MDPI Journal
• Member Editorial board Glaucoma
• External reviewer for Exp Eye Res; Inves ophthal, and visual science; J.Com.Neurology and 10 others

Memberships and Affiliations

• Elected Fellow AAAS
• Fellow Royal Society of Medicine London
• Society for Neuroscience

Teaching Responsibilities

• Neuroscience, Medical School
• Neuroscience, Physical Therapy
• Histology, Graduate School
• Basic science course for residents in Ophthalmology