Dahlquist, Eric2018-03-142018-03-142018-01https://hdl.handle.net/11299/194659University of Minnesota M.S. thesis.January 2018. Major: Stem Cell Biology. Advisor: Andrew Grande. 1 computer file (PDF); iii, 34 pages.Stroke is a leading cause of death, dementia, and long-term disability in the United States. Stroke is characterized by a loss of blood flow or damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and results in neuron death, reactive gliosis and inflammation. Early action is essential for stroke because every minute results in massive neuronal cell death yet 3-5% of patients receive care in time. Our goal is use an adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver Ascl1 or Ngn2 transcription factors that can induce reprogramming in reactive astrocyte to regenerate neurons in a mouse stroke model. Current AAV systems suffer from low conversion efficiency and off-target effects. Our approach is to study if glial specific promoters can increase conversion efficiency while limiting promiscuity.enThesis or Dissertation