Isobel A. Scarisbrick

Isobel A. Scarisbrick, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and the Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. She leads the Neuroregeneration and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory and the neurological rehabilitation program within the Rehabilitation Medicine Research Center. Her work is affiliated with the Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology and the Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics.

• Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic
• Professor, Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic
• Program Director (2020–2023), Regenerative Sciences Ph.D. Track, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Scarisbrick earned her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of California, Irvine, MSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the University of Western Ontario, and BSc in Biological Science from the University of Guelph.

• Ph.D., Biology, University of California, Irvine
• M.Sc., Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario
• B.Sc., Biological Science, University of Guelph

Her research centers on neural repair and regeneration in the central nervous system, with a focus on spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. She investigates mechanisms of neuroinflammation, demyelination, astrogliosis, and lipid metabolism, aiming to identify pharmacological, metabolic, and lifestyle-based interventions that enhance CNS regeneration. Her lab employs gene editing and stem cell technologies to reconstruct neural circuits and improve functional recovery.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong thematic focus on protease-activated receptors (PAR1 and PAR2), lipid metabolism in the CNS, myelin regeneration, and biomarker discovery in multiple sclerosis. Her work bridges basic science and translational applications, often using animal models and clinical samples to validate therapeutic targets.

Scientific awards and recognition include:

• Outstanding Physician-Scientist Educator, Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences (2018)
• Translational Research Award, American Spinal Cord Injury Association (2018)
• E.K. Frey — E. Werle and Henner Graeff Promotion Prize (2015)
• Basic Science Research Award, Mayo Clinic Department of Neurology (2002)
• Genentech Research Award, American Association of Anatomists (2000)
• C.P. Leblond Research Award, Canadian Association of Anatomists (1987)

Dr. Scarisbrick has secured continuous funding from NIH, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Chris and Dana Reeve Foundation, and others. She has trained numerous researchers and led major collaborative projects, such as the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire-Mayo Clinic Regenerative Neuroscience Scholars Program. Her lab, composed of experts in biochemistry, stem cell biology, and neuropathology, fosters innovation and translation of discoveries into therapies.

She leads the Neuroregeneration and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, a multidisciplinary team focused on uncovering mechanisms of CNS injury and repair. The lab emphasizes glial cell function, metabolic regulation, and neural plasticity, with active projects in spinal cord regeneration, myelin repair, and neural stem cell therapy.