Eric Han
The MAWA Trust will be supporting Eric Han to complete a doctoral research project in Neurophysiology and Biomechanics entitled Pathophysiology of Focal Human Entrapment Neuropathy.
Patients with entrapment neuropathy such as carpel tunnel syndrome, radiculopathy, and pressure palsy suffer debilitating symptoms such as tingling, pain, numbness, spontaneous muscle contraction, cramp, and even muscle paralysis. These conditions are thought to be caused by compression and/or interruption of oxygen supply (ischaemia) of the affected peripheral nerve. At present the extent to which these factors contribute to symptoms and loss of function in human entrapment neuropathy is not known. One reason for this is that researchers have used animals (eg dogs, frogs, rabbits, rats) that are subjected to injuries as models for human nerves; however, animals cannot report symptoms, such as tingling, pain or numbness. Consequently, animal models can only be generalised to humans in limited ways.
This study will investigate and develop a safe and reversible human model of nerve compression with a focus on axonal membrane function and the mechanisms by which changes induced by compression relate to symptom generation. Healthy humans will be compared with patients. While compression will be the focus of the research, the model will be generalisable to other causes of symptoms.
Mr Han has a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical/Biomedical) degree with first class honours from the University of Sydney. His project will be undertaken at the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute and the University of NSW, under the supervision of Associate Professor Matthew Kiernan and Associate Professor Lynne Bilston.