Larry I. Benowitz

Dr. Larry I. Benowitz is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, based at Boston Children's Hospital. His research focuses on neural regeneration following CNS injuries, including spinal cord trauma, stroke, and glaucoma. He pioneered discoveries around oncomodulin and zinc chelation in optic nerve repair, with ongoing work in gene therapy and synapse restoration.

• Harvard Medical School affiliation
• Boston Children's Hospital principal investigator
• Neurosurgery/Ophthalmology departmental roles

Research interests span:

• CNS injury mechanisms: Cell death pathways, regenerative failure
• Optic nerve repair: Axon regrowth, synaptic integration
• Biomolecular interventions: Inflammatory growth factors, gene editing
• Neurodegenerative diseases: Glaucoma models, stroke recovery

Recent publications highlight:

• Zinc dynamics in retinal degeneration
• Transcriptional networks in regeneration
• Microglial engulfment mechanisms
• Evolution of axon regeneration strategies

His lab employs:

• Molecular & behavioral neuroscience techniques
• Genetic models and iPSC systems
• Neuronal culture platforms
• Translational clinical approaches