Archive for the ‘Spinal Cord Injury’ Category

Anthony Purcells voice grows strained when he speaks about that February 2010 day that changed his life. Back in Florida visiting cousins, he dove into the water off South Beach and crashed into a sandbar.

I thought I was going to die, he recalls.

He didnt. A cousin rescued him, but he was left paralyzed, with a broken neck and two bruised vertebrae. He spent six weeks at Jackson Memorial Hospitals intensive care unit, most of it in a medically induced coma. His lungs collapsed 17 times.

But he was lucky. He began intense rehabilitation as soon as he was able to, and that has made all the difference. Thats why Purcell, 24, and his mother, Micki, founded Walking with Anthony, a foundation to help others get the same kind of rehab that has helped Purcell progress to where he can stand with the help of a walker and bench press 190 pounds.

When I first went into rehab, he says, I was like a noodle. I couldnt even sit up.

Walking with Anthony will host its first local fundraising gala Nov. 2 from 7 to 11 p.m. in Hangar 9 at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. During the event, called South Florida Movement for Change: Its Time to Soar, the non-profit will present grants to Nick Williams and Chris Hickox, who were student-athletes at Cardinal Gibbons High School when Purcell was a varsity basketball player there. A 2008 car accident left Williams paralyzed from the waist down and a 2009 ATV accident left Hickox with a spinal cord injury.

The money donated to the young men will help them receive treatment at the Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Center in Carlsbad, Calif., where Purcell rehabilitates.

You need rehab immediately, says Micki Purcell. The faster, the better. Ive seen that with my own son, and I cant imagine someone else not being able to do that for their own.

The fundraiser will also honor Dr. Allan Levin, Purcells surgeon and chief of neurospine service at Jackson Memorial. Former NFL player and University of Miami star Kevin Everett, who sustained a spinal cord injury in 2007 while playing for the Buffalo Bills, is serving as honorary chair with his wife, Wiande.

The Purcells decided to launch the foundation when they realized that, while millions of dollars were earmarked for spinal cord injury research, there was little financial help for patients to receive rehab. Most victims of the devastating injury have limited resources and, if they have insurance, are usually covered for about 20 days.

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Mother, son hosting fundraiser for spinal cord injury victims

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other neurotrauma conditions, today announced the Companys sponsorship of the 7th annual Working 2 Walk Science & Advocacy Symposium that will take place November 1-3, 2012 in Irvine, CA.

Working 2 Walk is an annual event held by Unite 2 Fight Paralysis to bring together spinal cord injury research scientists, practitioners, investors and consumers for a lively discussion of current research and strategies that will accelerate progress toward cures for paralysis. Unite 2 Fight Paralysis is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the realization of curative therapies.

Alex Aimetti, PhD, InVivos Research & Development Manager, Biomaterials, will speak on behalf of the Company at the symposium. Dr. Aimetti will present on InVivos scaffold and hydrogel as well as designing synthetic biomaterials for various drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. InVivo Therapeutics has developed a new treatment that uses a biocompatible polymer-based scaffold to provide structural support to a damaged spinal cord in order to spare tissue from scarring while improving recovery and prognosis after a traumatic spinal cord injury. The Company expects FDA approval in early 2013 to begin a clinical trial for the treatment in acute SCI.

Said Dr. Aimetti, It is an honor to speak at this symposium and I am very excited to interact with the SCI community at Working 2 Walk. I will be discussing the benefits of using biomaterials as a viable treatment option and discuss how we have leveraged our technology to develop first-class products that will soon enter the clinic.

About InVivo Therapeutics

InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is utilizing polymers as a platform technology to develop treatments to improve function in individuals paralyzed from traumatic spinal cord injuries. The company was founded in 2005 based on proprietary technology co-invented by Robert S. Langer, ScD. Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Joseph P. Vacanti, M.D., who is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2011, the company earned the prestigious 2011 David F. Apple Award from the American Spinal Injury Association for its outstanding contribution to spinal cord injury medicine. The publicly traded company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more details, visit http://www.invivotherapeutics.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, and the Company intends that such statements are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. These statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to the expected approval of the FDA to conduct human clinical trials for the Companys products, the expected commencement date of any approved human clinical trials, the expected size of the pilot study, the expectation that the scaffold product will be regulated under a HDE pathway, and the expected acceleration of commercialization of the Companys products resulting therefrom. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the Companys ability to obtain FDA approval to conduct human clinical trials; whether the human clinical trials produce acceptable results; the Companys ability to develop, market and sell products based on its technology; the expected benefits and efficacy of the Companys products and technology in connection with spinal cord injuries; the availability of substantial additional funding for the Company to continue its operations and to conduct research and development, clinical studies and future product commercialization; and, the Companys business, research, product development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution plans and strategies. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and subsequent filings with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this release. Subsequent events or circumstances occurring after such date may render these statements incomplete or out of date. The Company undertakes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update such statements.

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Dr. Alex Aimetti of InVivo Therapeutics to Speak at Working 2 Walk Spinal Cord Injury Symposium

Photo by Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada

Being a quadriplegic, Joni Eareckson Tada never thought she would get cancer.

"I was too busy tending to all the challenges of being a spinal cord injury survivor, and so my last mammogram was nine years ago," said Tada, 63, of Calabasas, who was injured in a diving accident at age 17.

After a needle biopsy in June 2010, followed by a mastectomy the next week, "I was told I had stage 3 breast cancer ... a 3-inch tumor and several lymph nodes affected. Then it was an arduous treatment of chemotherapy."

Because Tada thought cancer only happened to other women, she decided to be the keynote speaker at the 16th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Seminar. Sponsored by Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center, the event will take place from 8 a.m. to 1p.m. Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

"I wanted to speak at this event to alert every woman of the growing statistics impacting one in eight women," said Tada, whose ministry, Joni and Friends International Disability Center, is in Agoura Hills.

"In last week's Newsweek magazine, the National Cancer Institute stated that one in every three women will develop some sort of cancer," Tada said. "It's a growing problem, and I'm grateful I've been offered a platform from which to share my story."

Each year, the seminar has a nonmedical guest speaker address topics that are not clinically related to breast cancer, said Kris Carraway-Bowman, vice president of marketing and public relations for the hospital.

"As if her handicap wasn't enough to deal with, she was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago," Carraway-Bowman said. "Instead of hiding it, she had her journey to fight breast cancer documented on film to share with other women fighting the disease so that they may find strength together."

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Quadriplegic to share her breast cancer survival story

"OK/Help" Signs Could Save Time, Lives in Quake Aftermath

Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones says future earthquakes in California are inescapable, but safety officials say what can be controlled is how Angelenos and first responders communicate in the aftermath of the Big One. About 50,000 signs with the word OK on one side and HELP on the other were distributed across the San Fernando Valley on Monday in an effort to get aid where its needed in case of an emergency. Officials say the latest method could save time and lives. Stephanie Elam reports from Chatsworth for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Oct. 15, 2012.

Nine years ago, Deserie Ortiz suffered a spinal cord injury in a car crash. Now, she works with disabled youth and admits she needs to better prepare herself for the Big One, the massive earthquake experts predict will strike Southern California sooner rather than later.

I know you are supposed to drop, cover and hold on and things like that but if I drop on the floor, I'm not going to be able to get back up on my wheelchair, Ortiz said.

I just have to do it now. Especially since I am an advocate of my own life and I'm an advocate for others, I need to be an example, she said.

MORE:"OK/Help"Earthquake Safety Initiative | Quake Maps, Apps and Pets Preps

For the wheel-chair bound, safety officials advise dropping, covering and holding on the best way they can modified instructions with the same urgency.

They should lock the wheelchair in place so that it does not move, said Jeff Reeb, access and functional needs coordinator for LA County Office of Emergency Management.

If residents are in bed when an earthquake hits, experts advise to use the linens, bedding and paddings to their advantage.

I didn't know what I was going to do but I did stay on my bed and that I was not going to move until I felt secure to get on to my wheelchair, Ortiz said.

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Quake Prep Tips for Angelenos With Disabilities

ScienceDaily (Oct. 15, 2012) Research released today demonstrates how new scientific knowledge is driving innovative treatments for spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord damage is debilitating and life-altering, limiting or preventing movement and feeling for millions worldwide, and leading to chronic health conditions and pain.

The new studies suggest potential therapies for managing the aftermath of pain and pressure sores, repairing nervous system damage, and speeding recovery. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

In the United States, approximately 12,000 people are hospitalized for spinal cord injury (SCI) each year, and at least 270,000 people live with it. The initial injury is usually compounded by a wave of immune activity that can extend the initial nervous system damage, and complications of SCI may include pain and pressure sores that compromise the quality of life. New research is tackling all of these dimensions of SCI.

Today's new findings show that:

"While the damage of SCI can appear to be immediate and dramatic, the biological events that lead to extensive nerve and tissue damage are complex, and injuries evolve over time," said press conference moderator Jacqueline Bresnahan, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco, an expert on nervous system trauma caused by spinal cord injuries. "Today researchers are finding ways to intervene in the cascade of molecular changes that follow SCI. From understanding immune cell responses to the healing power of social contact, researchers are finding new ways to treat and rehabilitate patients."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Society for Neuroscience (SfN), via AlphaGalileo.

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New findings could help speed recovery, alleviate pain associated with spinal cord injury

ScienceDaily (Oct. 15, 2012) New animal studies provide additional support for investigating stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, head trauma, and dangerous heart problems that accompany spinal cord injury, according to research findings released today.

The work, presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health, shows scientists making progress toward using stem cell therapies to repair neurological damage.

The studies focused on using stem cells to produce neurons -- essential, message-carrying cells in the brain and spinal cord. The loss of neurons and the connections they make for controlling critical bodily functions are the chief hallmarks of brain and spinal cord injuries and of neurodegenerative afflictions such as Parkinson's disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Today's new findings show that:

Other recent findings discussed show that:

"As the fields of developmental and regenerative neuroscience mature, important progress is being made to begin to translate the promise of stem cell therapy into meaningful treatments for a range of well-defined neurological problems," said press conference moderator Jeffrey Macklis, MD, of Harvard University and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an expert on development and regeneration of the mammalian central nervous system. "Solid, rigorous, and well-defined pre-clinical work in animals can set the stage toward human clinical trials and effective future therapies."

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Realizing the potential of stem cell therapy: Studies report progress in developing treatments for diseases and injuries

Team All-American Founder Scott Fishman enters NYC Marathon, the worlds largest marathon. Scott inspires athletes every day and will be running in a pack with some of his very own clients. Fishman is also running in support of his charity efforts for spinal cord injury athletes.

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 15, 2012

Scott will be running with his clients at Team All-American, the New York fitness training company that he owns and operates. Team All-American, based on the Upper East of Manhattan, delivers a 1-on-1 customized training experience for recreational, youth, amateur and professional athletes. Scott has also decided that his run on November 4 will be in support of a charity, and the charity Scott has chosen is The Reeve Foundation. The Reeve Foundation provides support for those suffering from spinal cord injury and Scott is very proud to be supporting this important cause. Scott recently said, "I have selected to run on behalf of The Reeve Foundation, and help raise money so that they can continue their work to cure spinal cord injury. The Reeve Foundation was founded by actor Christopher Reeve, of Superman fame, when Reeve was paralyzed during a horseback riding accident in 1995, and spent the remainder of his life working to find a cure for spinal cord injury. The Reeve Foundation works each day to fund innovative research, and improve the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. Scott adds, "Being a part of this charity is life changing. Learning about athletes who have suffered from spinal cord injuries and tackled adversity head on is truly humbling. It makes me grateful for every single step that I take and the fact that I am able to walk, let alone run 26.2 miles. I will think about this when my body depletes its glycogen stores and I go into survival mode at this years race. It puts things into perspective and is truly inspiring.

The New York City Marathon began in 1970 when 127 runners paid a $1 entry fee to run a 26.2 mile race that looped through Central Park several times. 55 runners eventually crossed the finish line out of the original 127. Since then, the New York City Marathon has grown to become one of the worlds most recognized sporting events and now it snakes through all five of New York Citys boroughs. Last year, 47,000 runners crossed the finish line. This year, Scott Fishman of NYC will be one of them.

Team All-American

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New York City Business Owner Scott Fishman Running with his Team All-American Athletes and Continuing the Superman ...

Cambridge spinal cord injury treatment startup InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp, which received a $2 million loan from MassDevelopment this week, released a letter to shareholders today expressing frustration with the companys lackluster stock performance.

Though InVivo is firing on all cylinders, the companys 50 percent stock drop since the end of August is unwarranted and seems to have been driven by unsubstantiated Internet rumors, said CEO Frank Reynolds.

We believe our stock is undervalued and has significant near-term catalysts that should drive valuation, he said.

In this years range of prices, InVivo stock has been trading between 60 cents and $3.23 a share, reaching a high today of $1.78. The company now has more than 30 employees in its new 21,000-square-foot Kendall Square headquarters.

In the letter, Reynolds added the company expects the next six months to mark a major inflection point in our growth.

The FDA has not put up any roadblocks or requested additional information that will delay the start of the study for the use of our biopolymer scaffolding to treat spinal cord injuries, he said. Before the end of 2012, we expect to validate our clean room and then manufacture GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) batches which will be submitted to the FDA as part of the IDE application. We expect FDA approval to start the clinical study in early 2013.

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InVivo CEO: Our stock is undervalued

Proceeds from the outing benefit spinal cord injury research, rehabilitation and quality of life programs

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 10, 2012

As someone who has faced a spinal cord injury, I can tell you that the difference between surviving and thriving is support, said Adam Taliaferro, founder of the Adam Taliaferro Foundation and former patient of Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. The Golf Outing is my way of giving back, of bolstering the research, rehab and programs that helped me, to ensure all people with spinal cord injuries have the same opportunities that made my recovery so successful.

A cornerback for Penn State University, Adam sustained a spinal cord injury on the football field in 2000 while making a clean hit in a game against Ohio State. Told by doctors he may never walk again, Adam came to Magee for his rehabilitation and walked out of the hospital just months later. He founded the Adam Taliaferro Foundation to provide emotional, financial and educational support to individuals who have sustained a catastrophic head or spinal cord injury in sanctioned team events in New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Delaware.

Adam Taliaferro is a prime example of how hard work, determination, top-quality therapy and steadfast support can lead to a recovery that exceeds expectations, said Dr. Jack Carroll, President and CEO of Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. We are grateful to Adam and the Adam Taliaferro Foundation for their dedication to the support of people with disabilities, and are extremely proud to partner with them for this annual event.

The 2nd Annual Adam Taliaferro Foundation & Magee Rehabilitation Golf Outing begins with registration and breakfast at 10:00 a.m. and tee-off at 11:30 a.m. The event includes brunch, golf, a cocktail hour with grand hors doeuvres, and live and silent auctions. To participate in the golf outing or to obtain more information about sponsorships, please contact the Magee Development Office at (215) 587-3090 or Gus Ostrum, Adam Taliaferro Foundation, at (609) 502-0424 or ostrumg(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Kimberly Shrack Magee Rehabilitation (215) 587-3363 Email Information

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Magee Rehabilitation Hospital and Adam Taliaferro Foundation Tee Off for 2nd Annual Fundraiser

Public release date: 8-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Carolann Murphy CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org 973-324-8382 Kessler Foundation

West Orange, NJ. October 8, 2012. Scientists from Kessler Foundation are presenting recent findings during Progress in Rehabilitation Research, the 2012 Conference of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Society of NeuroRehabilitation (ACRM-ASNR). A.M. Barrett, MD, Amanda Botticello, PhD, Peii Chen, PhD, Abhijit Das, MD, Gail F. Forrest, PhD, Yael Goverover, PhD, Denise Krch, PhD, Karen Nolan, PhD, and Mooyeon Oh-Park, MD, are addressing a variety of topics that represent the Foundation's rehabilitation research in stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.

A.M. Barrett, MD, the current president of ASNR, is director of Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation. Drs. Barrett and Chen will present promising results of prism adaptation treatment for spatial neglect, a common post-stroke hidden disability. Dr. Park, the assistant director of Stroke Rehabilitation Research, will present the Foundation's work on the impact of post-stroke cognitive deficits on patient satisfaction surveys of inpatient rehabilitation. Dr. Chen, research scientist in Stroke Rehabilitation Research, will discuss the Kessler Foundation Neglect Assessment Process (KF-NAP)-a new standardized tool for reliable functional assessment evaluation of spatial neglect. Drs. Chen and Botticello share their findings on the secondary impact of stroke in their study of cognitive decline among caregivers. Dr. Botticello is a research scientist in Outcomes & Assessment Research at Kessler Foundation.

During the symposium, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention across the Lifespan in Spinal Cord Injury, Dr. Forrest will address the potential for electrical stimulation to attenuate the muscle and bone loss that occurs after spinal cord injury. Dr. Forrest directs mobility research at the Foundation, where she is assistant director of Human Performance and Engineering Research. Dr. Nolan, a research scientist in Human Performance and Engineering Research, will present a case report on hemiplegia after stroke illustrating the functional gains after utilization of a foot drop stimulator.

Drs. Krch and Goverover are presenting on cultural adaptations and functional assessment in cognitive rehabilitation. Dr. Krch is a research scientist in Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research; Dr. Goverover is a visiting scientist from New York University. Their presentations address the use of strategies to improve cognitive and everyday functioning in persons with cognitive impairments.

Dr. Das is one of five young investigators invited to participate in the conference's Young Investigators Panel sponsored by National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Dr. Das, a NIDRR-funded post-doctoral fellow in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation, will present his findings on the neurobiology of self-reported fatigue in individual with multiple sclerosis.

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Researchers at Kessler Foundation have faculty appointments in the department of physical medicine & rehabilitation at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New JerseyNew Jersey Medical School. They collaborate closely with clinicians at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

About Kessler Foundation

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Kessler Foundation scientists present rehabilitation research findings at 2012 ACRM-ASNR Conference

In Dec. 2010, Aaron Deede was in a car accident where he suffered T4 spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury that left him wheelchair bound. Before the accident, Deede was an award winning actor in high school and after the incident his dream of acting was in jeopardy.

That dream was saved when he met Christine Rouse.

Christine Rouse is the founder of Acting Without Boundaries (AWB), which is a theatre company for men, women and children with disabilities.

Deede has been with AWB since its inaugural show in 2004 and he, along with 19 other AWB actors, starred in Some Enchanted Evening, the Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein, on Sunday afternoon at the Haverford School.

AWB helps me keep my dream alive of being an actor, Deede said at the AWB Fundraiser, which took place at the Haverford School immediately after the show.

Deede was a busy man during the show as he serviced as a singer, actor, comedian and rapper. AWB Musical Director Maria Ceferatti began playing a ballad on her piano and it was greeted with a hip-hop beat that stunned the crowd.

Flipping off his top-hat and replacing it with a baseball cap that read M.C AWB, Deed began rapping, something he admits he had never done before this show.

Rapping was my favorite part of this performance, he said while giggling. Some Enchanted Evening was the 10th performance he has been acted in with AWB. It was unlike anything I have ever done before.

With a glowing smile on her face, Aarons mother, Anne Phillips, called the performance, magical.

It was wonderful, current and funny, she exclaimed of the troupes performance. Continued...

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Changing the perception of people with disabilities, one performance at a time

ScienceDaily (Oct. 8, 2012) A series of rehabilitation studies published in the September 2012 issue of the Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation demonstrate that innovative treatments for individuals with spinal cord injuries can lead to significant functional improvements in patients and a higher quality of life.

Sue Ann Sisto, PT, MA, PhD, Professor of Physical Therapy, Research Director, Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, Director of the Rehabilitation Research and Movement Performance (RRAMP) Laboratory, Stony Brook University School of Health Technology and Management (SHTM), and Co-Director of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation NeuroRecovery Network (NRN), says the findings suggest that a shift in both protocol and policy is needed at rehabilitation centers across the nation to advance and standardize rehabilitation care for patients with spinal cord injuries.

"These studies provide scientific and clinical evidence from hundreds of patients that long-term rehabilitation practices such as locomotor training, exercise, and wellness activities for patients with full or partial spinal cord injuries lead to improved health and function in patients," summarized Dr. Sisto, a co-author on several of the 11 studies published in Archives.

While a majority of the studies evaluate activity-based rehabilitative practices involving the assessment and improvement of patients' motor or neurological functioning, other studies evaluate patients' overall health status. For example, in "Cardiovascular Status of Individuals with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury from 7 NeuroRecovery Network Rehabilitation Centers," researchers concluded that a patient's resting blood pressure and heart rate are affected by body position, age, and neurological level. They also found that more than one-fifth of patients had a quick drop in blood pressure with a sudden position change from lying to sitting.

Dr. Sisto, lead author of the cardiovascular status study, points out that the overall findings provide a reference for cardiovascular health parameters for individuals with incomplete spinal cord injuries. The study, she adds, also provides clinical evidence that rehabilitation centers should consider clinical screening for cardiovascular dysfunction in patients.

All of the studies featured in the Archives issue involve reporting of outcomes from seven NRN rehabilitation centers around the country. Established and funded by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NRN centers translate scientific advances into activity-based rehabilitation treatment for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Dr. Sisto says that practices like locomotor training, which consists of activities involving step training using body support on a treadmill, and with manual assistance, are valuable and show great promise for motor improvement in chronic spinal cord injury patients. New computer and other technologies, she says, are also helping to improve physical therapy and rehabilitation practices for patients, as well as help professionals more effectively chart patient progress.

Locomotor training and other rehabilitation practices are used at Stony Brook's RRAMP laboratory, a state-of-the-art research center within the SHTM. The laboratory is dedicated to studies of rehabilitation interventions that enhance the recovery process of those living with paralysis or spinal cord injuries, or suffer from debilitating illnesses that affect mobility.

Earlier in 2012, the SHTM announced its collaboration with Los Angeles-based NextStep Fitness with the intention to build the organization's first fitness and wellness facility in New York State for people with paralysis and spinal cord injuries. Plans are underway to construct the new rehabilitation, fitness and wellness facility in a free standing building that will be adjacent to the RRAMP Laboratory.

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New rehabilitation research demonstrates functional improvements in patients with spinal cord injuries

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As weve reported in previous posts, teamwork among medical staff is imperative to patient recovery. Eleven studies published last month in Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation showed that the same holds true for spinal cord injury victims recovery.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation NeuroRecovery Network (NRN) a collection of spinal cord injury rehabilitation centers across the country credits its ability to help patients regain lost physical function and overall health and well-being to its standardization of rehabilitation practices. Research findings are turned into training activities that can be employed in the same way at each of the centers. The rehabilitation each patient undergoes is also evaluated by the same standards across all centers. Teams of contributors to this training are made up of scientists, physicians, physical and occupational therapists, and hospital administrators, according to a news release. That way, multiple points of view are taken into account in creating the most effective practices.

"For the first time, conclusive evidence has proven that standardized rehabilitation across multiple centers can result in positive patient recovery, said Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Executive Vice President of Research Susan Howley. Policies are needed to ensure that access to these centers is provided to all patients living with spinal cord injury and that new sites are continuously added to the NeuroRecovery Network.

Over a million people in the U.S. are paralyzed due to spinal cord injury, the NRNs press release stated. The networks rehabilitation helps both newly injured people as well as those whove been paralyzed for years.

Thanks to the progress the Reeve Foundation has made possible, NRN patients living with spinal cord injury are regaining motion, improving their balance as well as bowel, bladder and sexual function, the news release stated.

To learn more about the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's NeuroRecovery Network, please click here.

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Teamwork enables spinal cord injury victims to walk

BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital announced today that both its Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program and Burn Injury Rehabilitation Program have been selected as Model System sites by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). These selections combined with last year's selection of Spaulding as a Spinal Cord Injury Model System Site make Spaulding one of only two providers nationally to be selected as a Model System in all three specialties at the same time.

These grants are awarded in five year cycles by NIDRR through an extremely selective process with only 21 national sites for TBI and only 5 for Burn Injury. NIDRR awards Model Systems grants to institutions that are national leaders in medical research and patient care. Each site provides the highest level of comprehensive specialty services, from the point of injury through rehabilitation and community reentry. Dr. Joe Giacino will serve as Program Director for the TBI Model System Site and Dr. Jeffrey Schneider will serve as Program Director for the Burn Injury Model System site. Dr. Ross Zafonte will serve as Administrative Co-Director for both.

"Our selection by NIDRR as only the second provider in the nation to serve as a Model Systems Site in Burn Injury, TBI and SCI at the same time is a tremendous recognition for Spaulding and the Harvard Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. These grants will have an important impact on the communities Spaulding serves by allowing our talented clinicians to explore new avenues of research and care," said Dr. Ross Zafonte, VP of Research, Education and Medical Affairs, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and Chairman of the Harvard Medical School Department of PM&R at Spaulding.

This funding will allow Spaulding clinicians and researchers to improve both regional and national understanding of TBI and Burn Injury treatment models. Each Model Systems site contributes to the national Model Systems Database for a better understanding of long-term health outcomes. Spaulding will also expand its participation in collaborative research and education as well as outreach efforts to inform individuals with TBI and Burn Injuries, their families and care givers, health care professionals and the general public about its work.

"These Model Systems recognitions by NIDRR are another acknowledgment of Spaulding's standing as a national leader in rehabilitative care and research. Most importantly for those recovering from or caring for someone with a traumatic brain injury or burn injury, these grants will greatly enhance the chance to improve their daily lives by empowering our researchers and clinicians with significant resources and support," said David Storto, President, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network.

About the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network

A member of Partners HealthCare, The SpauldingRehabilitation Network includes Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital-Boston (main campus), a 196-bed facility, as well as Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod. Additional locations include the two long-term care facilities Spaulding Hospital Cambridge and Spaulding Hospital North Shore andtwo skilled nursing facilities, as well as twenty-three outpatient sites throughout the Greater Boston area. Spaulding is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School as well as the official rehabilitation hospital of the New England Patriots. Spaulding is the only rehabilitation hospital in New England continually ranked since 1995 by U.S. News and World Report in its Best Hospitals survey with a #5 ranking in 2012. For more information, please visit http://www.spauldingrehab.org.

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Spaulding Selected by NIDRR as both TBI and Burn Injury Model System Sites

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --United Spinal Association's membership division, National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA), will host two free webinars in October in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month to provide people with disabilities useful information and resources for career building.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110413/MM82757LOGO)

"Social Security work incentives, resume building and job interviewing skills for people with disabilities are webinar topics designed to equip job seekers with a solid foundation to realize their career goals," said Marlene Perkins, VP of Corporate and Community Relations at United Spinal.

The first webinar Understanding Social Security Work Incentives and Ticket to WorkOct. 11th at 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT, will discuss Social Security work programs and incentives with featured speaker, Marlene A. Ulisky, Area Work Incentives Coordinator; North Florida; Social Security Administration (SSA).

Social Security's Ticket to Work Program is a free and voluntary program available to people who are ages 18 through 64 and receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits because they are disabled or blind.

The webinar will cover the benefits of employment, the responsibilities of a working beneficiary, how the Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes work which is not reported, and how SSA applies the work incentives.

Attendees will also learn how to maintain cash benefits, and get the most out of Medicare and/or Medicaid.

The second webinar Employment Etiquette: Resume Building and Job Interview TipsOct. 24th at 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT, will provide practical information on building the perfect resume and how to make the best impression on potential employers.

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United Spinal Presents Free Webinars For National Disability Employment Awareness Month

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP) is pleased to offer an outstanding list of speakers for its 7th annual Working 2 Walk Science & Advocacy Symposium, a leading educational conference focused on research aimed at repairing the chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). The 2012 conference will be held November 1-2, 2012, at the Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport in Irvine, California.

The Reeve-Irvine Research Center is a co-organizer of the Symposium, and its team of top-notch research scientists will be presenting the results of their latest work. Speakers from RIRC include Drs. Aileen Anderson, Leif Havton, Hans Keirstead, and the Centers Director, Dr. Oswald Steward.

In addition, scientists from around the country who are working to solve various pieces of the SCI neurological puzzle will share their progress. Included are: Drs. Justin Brown and Mark Tuszynski, University of California, San Diego; Dr. Jerry Silver, Case Western Reserve University; Dr. Ravi Bellamkonda, Georgia Institute of Technology; and Dr. Murray Blackmore, Marquette University.

The Working 2 Walk symposium offers a unique opportunity in the spinal cord injury community, bringing scientists together with investors, practitioners, and advocates in a supportive and strategic environment. Speakers from these segments of the community include: Jonathon Thomas, JD, PhD, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine; Stephen Huhn, MD, Stem Cells, Inc.; Ida Cahill, President and CEO, Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation; Damodar Thapa, PT, Kathmandu, Nepal; Frank Reynolds, InVivo Therapeutics; and Anthony Caggiano, MD, PhD, Acorda Therapeutics.

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis works hard to build the knowledge base and resources for those living with SCI, leading to informed advocacy efforts and wise investment in research. Advocates Dennis Tesolat, Bob Yant, and Roman Reed will speak to the importance of community advocacy during the conference.

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis was founded and is led by people who have a personal connection to spinal cord injury. U2FPs staff and Board of Directors are comprised of SCI survivors and family members who are determined to accelerate the progress of science toward achieving regeneration and repair of the injured spinal cord.

For more information: http://www.u2fp.org or http://www.working2walk.org.

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Unite 2 Fight Paralysis Announces Working 2 Walk Symposium Agenda

UC PhD student doing world first research on spinal cord injuries

September 27, 2012

A University of Canterbury (UC) PhD student is carrying out world first research on spinal cord injuries using the Feldenkrais method to provide people the chance to recover movement and stability.

In the 1940s, Israeli physicist Dr Moshe Feldenkrais combined his knowledge of martial arts, biomechanics, neurophysiology, anatomy, learning theory, child development, systems theory, physics and psychology to develop the Feldenkrais Method, a form of sensory motor education.

Research has provided evidence of benefits including reduced pain, fatigue, stress and medical costs; and improved mobility, stability, coordination and breathing. However there has been no research done with spinal cord injury.

UC PhD student Cindy Allison was drawn to the Feldenkrais method because of her own pain and loss of movement and sensation. For her PhD she is developing the first Feldenkrais programme in the world for people with spinal cord injury and is currently looking for participants.

``Rather than isolating muscles and working hard in an attempt to restore movement, Feldenkrais encourages expanding body awareness, and paying attention to the quality of movement and the effect that the movement has on the coordination of the whole body.

``You stay within your comfort zone; it is process oriented and fun. The focus is also on learning how to learn. Clients grow to understand biomechanics and learning principles, they are eventually able to improve their movement independently of the practitioner.

``I was so impressed with the method that I began researching its potential for people with spinal cord injury. Some of the worlds top neuroscientists advocate the method. I have people around the world with spinal cord injury discovering significant improvement using Feldenkrais principles despite negative prognoses.

Kevin Hitchcock, a former director of news and Channel Ten in Sydney was told he would be paralysed from the neck down for the rest of his life, she said.

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UC student doing world first research on spinal cord injury

This segment is part of the IEEE Spectrum series The New Medicine

Susan Hassler: Every time you move your arm or even think about doing it, your brain generates electrical signals. Scientists are now trying to decode those signals and use them to move artificial limbs. A technology like this could make a world of difference to amputees or those who are paralyzed. And it has been tested for the first time on someone with a spinal cord injury. Prachi Patel visited the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to find out more.

[ambient sound; wheelchair whirring; Tim Hemmes talking to girlfriend]

Prachi Patel: Tim Hemmes was 23 when he broke his spinal cord in a motorcycle accident. He was paralyzed from the neck down. That was eight years ago. Last fall, surgeons at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center placed a small sensor on the surface of his brain. Four weeks later, Hemmes could move a robotic arm with his thoughts.

[ambient sound; robotic arm moving]

Prachi Patel: A video shows him concentrating intensely. The metal hand moves with erratic bursts and finally touches a researchers palm.

[ambient sound; All right! There you go Yay! Nice!]

Tim Hemmes: To have Wei standing there and to reach out to him, that was what Ive been working for seven years. Whether it was robotic, whether it was metal and plasticmy mind, my thought process, put that there.

Prachi Patel: In 2008, the Pittsburgh team had shown that monkeys could feed themselves treats by controlling a robotic arm with their minds. Hemmes is the first human to have tried the technology. Michael Boninger, the lead physician on the research trial, shows me the sensor that was used to read Hemmess brain signals.

Michael Boninger: You can see theres a bunch of tiny, like 1-millimeter silver spots. Those are the electrodes. And its through this small pad thats the size of one of those designer postage stamps were able to record the electrical signals. The only thing were doing is recording the electrical signal that the brain normally produces when someone thinks.

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Brain-Computer Interface for Spinal Cord Injury

Readmore: Local, News, Community, Amarillo, Texas Panhandle, Luis Morales, Vega High School, Vega Football Player, Football Player Paralyzed, Injured Player Returns to School, Phillip Wiggins, Joni Wagner, Jaci Wagner, Student Body Welcomes Student Back, Wheeler Football, Vega Football, Player Hits Retaining Wall, Player Hits Wall, Gridiron, Grid Iron Foundation, Foundation Donates Van

VEGA, TEXAS -- A wheelchair-accessible van is being donated to the family of the Vega football player who suffered a spinal cord injury last year.

Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation plans to present a wheelchair-accessible van to Luis Morales and his family during halftime at Friday night's Vega High School football game.

It was last September when a Morales, a junior, collided with a retaining wall after he was pushed out of bounds.

Morales suffered a C-5/C-6 spinal cord injury. He returned to school this past January.

Gridiron said the donated van will be the first wheelchair-accessible vehicle the family has used since the injury.

This will be the eighth wheelchair-accessible van the non-profit organization has donated. Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation was started in 2003 to "provide immediate and long-term resources and support to individuals sustaining catastrophic spinal cord injury through activities associated with high school football."

For more information on the foundation,click here.

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Foundation donates van to injured Vega football player

NEWARK, Calif., Sept. 27, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (STEM) today announced that the first patient with an incomplete spinal cord injury has been enrolled in the Company's Phase I/II clinical trial in chronic spinal cord injury and transplanted with the Company's proprietary HuCNS-SC(R) neural stem cells. The patient, a Canadian man who suffered a thoracic spinal cord injury from a sports-related accident, was administered the cells yesterday at Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, a world leading medical center for spinal cord injury and rehabilitation. This is the first patient in the second cohort of the trial, which will be comprised of four patients who retain some sensory function below the level of trauma and are therefore considered to have an incomplete injury.

"This is an important milestone for StemCells and the spinal cord injury community as it is the first time anyone has ever transplanted neural stem cells into a patient with an incomplete injury," said Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, Vice President and Head of the CNS Program at StemCells, Inc. "Given the encouraging interim data from the most severely injured patient cohort that we reported earlier this month, testing patients with less severe injury should afford us an even better opportunity to continue to test safety and to detect and assess clinical changes. Unlike the patients in the first cohort, patients with incomplete injuries have retained a degree of spinal cord function that might be even further augmented by transplantation with neural stem cells."

Earlier this month, the Company reported that interim six-month data from the first patient cohort in the Phase I/II clinical trial continued to demonstrate a favorable safety profile, and showed considerable gains in sensory function in two of the three patients compared to pre-transplant baselines. Patients in the first cohort all suffered a complete injury to their spinal cord, leaving them with no neurological function below the level of injury. Following transplantation with HuCNS-SC cells, there were no abnormal clinical, electrophysiological or radiological responses to the cells, and all the patients were neurologically stable through the first six months after transplantation. Changes in sensitivity to touch, heat and electrical stimuli were observed in well-defined and consistent areas below the level of injury in two of the patients, while the third patient remained stable. Importantly, the changes in sensory function were confirmed objectively by measures of electrical impulse transmission across the site of injury, each of which correlated with the clinical examination.

About the Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trial

The Phase I/II clinical trial of StemCells, Inc.'s HuCNS-SC(R) purified human adult neural stem cells is designed to assess both safety and preliminary efficacy. Twelve patients with thoracic (chest-level) neurological injuries at the T2-T11 level are planned for enrollment, and their injuries must have occurred within three to twelve months prior to transplantation of the cells. In addition to assessing safety, the trial will assess preliminary efficacy based on defined clinical endpoints, such as changes in sensation, motor function and bowel/bladder function. The Company has dosed the first patient cohort, all of whom have injuries classified as AIS A according to the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS). In AIS A injuries, there is no neurological function below the injury level. The second cohort will be patients classified as AIS B, in which there is some preservation of sensory or motor function below the injury level. The third cohort will be patients classified as AIS C, in which there is some preservation of both sensory and motor function.

All patients will receive HuCNS-SC cells through direct transplantation into the spinal cord and will be temporarily immunosuppressed. Patients will be evaluated regularly in the post-transplant period in order to monitor and assess the safety of the HuCNS-SC cells, the surgery and the immunosuppression, as well as to measure any recovery of neurological function below the injury site. The Company intends to follow the effects of this therapy long-term, and each of the patients will be invited to enroll into a separate four year observational study after completing the Phase I/II study.

The trial is being conducted at Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, a world leading medical center for spinal cord injury and rehabilitation, and is open for enrollment to patients in Europe, Canada and the United States. Enrollment for the second cohort is now underway. If you believe you may qualify and are interested in participating in the study, please contact the study nurse either by phone at +41 44 386 39 01 or by email at stemcells.pz@balgrist.ch.

Additional information about the Company's spinal cord injury program can be found on the StemCells, Inc. website at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Clinical-Trials.htm and at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Spinal-Cord-Injury.htm, including video interviews with Company executives and independent collaborators.

About Balgrist University Hospital

Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich is recognized worldwide as a highly specialized center of excellence providing examination, treatment and rehabilitation opportunities to patients with serious musculoskeletal conditions. The clinic owes its leading international reputation to its unique combination of specialized medical services. The hospital's carefully-balanced, interdisciplinary network brings together under one roof medical specialties including orthopedics, paraplegiology, radiology, anesthesiology, rheumatology, and physical medicine. More information about Balgrist University Hospital is available at http://www.balgrist.ch.

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StemCells, Inc. Achieves Spinal Cord Injury Milestone With First Neural Stem Cell Transplant Into Patient With Sensory ...

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. There was a time when Marquis Daniels thought he would never play again. Now, after recovering from a spinal cord injury he suffered in February 2011 and playing out the rest of last season in a reserve role in Boston, the veteran guard has signed with the Milwaukee Bucks -- likely filling the team's final roster spot for the upcoming season.

Daniels averaged just 3.2 points in 38 games with the Boston Celtics last season, but he played a key role off the bench on defense due to his ability to guard quick point guards and also longer wing players. At a Bucks workout last week, Daniels, 31, said he wants to be known primarily as an unselfish player the kind of player who will play defense and create for his teammates, first and foremost.

But for now, he's just happy to be a professional basketball player at all. After a collision on the court resulted in a bruised spinal cord which was made worse by a preexisting condition making him more susceptible to neck or spinal injuries, Daniels said there were questions about his ability to return to the court.

"Once a couple injuries happened, they were like, 'You can't play no more,'" he said. "I was like, 'I'm fine. I can walk.' My doctor gave me the surgery and said I could play again."

After the surgery, Daniels said he felt some of his skills on the court came easier than they had in the past.

"Actually, I feel so much better now," Daniels said. "I wish I would have known earlier in my career. My strength and my grip and everything is a lot better than it had been in the past."

With a healthy Daniels, the Bucks get a versatile player who can defend multiple positions something their defense desperately needed, considering how small in stature Milwaukee's guards are, collectively. Daniels' spot on the team may make it more difficult for rookie Doron Lamb to get minutes, but for a backcourt desperate for defense, Daniels' signing was indeed necessary.

Daniels' deal is expected to be a one-year contract, but the details of the contract have not yet been released by the Bucks.

Follow Ryan Kartje on Twitter.

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Bucks fill out roster with ex-Celtics swingman

VEGA -- On Fri., Sept. 28, during the halftime show of the Vega High School football game vs. Sunray High School, Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation will present a wheelchair-accessible van to Luis Morales.

Morales, played for the Vega High School football team and is currently a student, suffered a spinal cord injury during a game in September 2011.

Friday's game starts at 7:30 p.m. at Vega High Schools Longhorn Field.

This will be the first wheelchair-accessible vehicle the Morales family has used since his injury. The handicapped-accessible van is the eighth that Gridiron Heroes has donated in nine years to high school football players who have sustained a spinal cord injury during a game. The van will be driven out on the field during the halftime show, followed by a special presentation to the Morales family.

Gridiron Heroes is a non-profit organization that supports individuals who have sustained catastrophic spinal cord injuries on the football field. The organization also works to educate about the importance of player safety. For more information about Gridiron Heroes and all of its heroes on and off the field, visit http://www.gridironheroes.org.

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WEST ORANGE, NJ--(Marketwire - Sep 20, 2012) - Kessler Foundation has appointed two research directors. Trevor Dyson-Hudson, M.D., has assumed the position of director of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) & Outcomes Assessment Research. Nancy Chiaravalloti, Ph.D., has been named director of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research. Drs. Dyson-Hudson and Chiaravalloti are also project directors of National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)-funded model systems -- the Northern New Jersey SCI System (NNJSCIS) and the Northern New Jersey TBI System (NNJTBIS), respectively. Kessler Foundation is one of six centers with model systems in both spinal cord and brain injury. Both researchers had served as interim directors prior to their appointments.

John DeLuca, Ph.D., vice president for Research and Training, oversees the Foundation's well-known research and postdoctoral training programs. In addition to SCI and TBI, Kessler Foundation conducts research in stroke rehabilitation, human performance and engineering, outcomes assessment and neuropsychology & neuroscience.

"As accomplished researchers, Drs. Chiaravalloti and Dyson-Hudson contribute to Kessler Foundation's international leadership in rehabilitation research," said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. "As well regarded collaborators in their fields, they extend the Foundation's work to change the lives of individuals with disabilities caused by brain and spinal cord injuries. With their leadership and dedication, I am confident that Kessler Foundation's research in mobility and cognition will improve outcomes for these individuals, including functional recovery and reintegration into the community and the workplace."

Dr. Dyson-Hudson is principal investigator/co-investigator on a number of SCI grants in addition to the NNJSCIS. He has received funding from the Veterans Administration, National Institutes of Health, the Reeve Foundation, and the Craig Neilsen Foundation. Dr. Dyson-Hudson's research interests include restoration of function and mobility after SCI and the prevention and treatment of common secondary medical complications, including pain, musculoskeletal overuse injuries, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory complications. The new NIDRR site-specific project of the NNJSCIS is investigating the effects of dalfampridine for ambulation in spinal cord injury. A new Collaboration on Mobility Training grant with the University of Pittsburgh employs web-based training and group sessions to improve the skills of wheelchair users and maximize independence.

Dr. Dyson-Hudson, a licensed physician in New Jersey and New York, is also an associate professor in the department of physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) at University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-New Jersey Medical School (NJMS).

Dr. Chiaravalloti is the director of Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research and Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation. Her research has been funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the National Institutes of Health, NIDRR and the National Stroke Association. She conducts cognitive rehabilitation research in TBI and multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly in new learning, memory and processing speed. A second major interest is the use of functional neuroimaging to identify the cerebral substrates underlying cognitive dysfunction. Functional MRI offers an objective method of documenting changes in cerebral activation with TBI and MS, and the effects of behavioral interventions. Recent innovations in research include the application of virtual reality to behavioral therapy and plans to open a neuroimaging center dedicated to research in 2013.

Dr. Chiaravalloti, a licensed psychologist in New Jersey and New York, is an associate professor in the department of PM&R at UMDNJ-NJMS.

About Kessler Foundation Kessler Foundation, a large public charity in the field of disability, conducts rehabilitation research and training in mobility and cognition that advances the care of people with multiple sclerosis, brain injury, stroke and spinal cord injury. Kessler Foundation is one of six centers in the U.S. to have NIDRR-funded model systems for traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. Through its program center, Kessler Foundation fosters new approaches to the persistently high rates of unemployment among people disabled by injury or disease. Targeted grant making funds promising programs across the nation. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, people recovering from catastrophic injuries and stroke, and young adults striving for independence are among the thousands of people finding jobs and training for careers as a result of the commitment of Kessler Foundation.

Find us at KesslerFoundation.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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Directors of Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Appointed at Kessler Foundation

SAN DIEGO In a study at the University of California, San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare, researchers were able to regenerate an astonishing degree of axonal growth at the site of severe spinal cord injury in rats. Their research revealed that early stage neurons have the ability to survive and extend axons to form new, functional neuronal relays across an injury site in the adult central nervous system (CNS).

The study also proved that at least some types of adult CNS axons can overcome a normally inhibitory growth environment to grow over long distances. Importantly, stem cells across species exhibit these properties. The work will be published in the journal Cell on Friday (Sept. 14).

The scientists embedded neural stem cells in a matrix of fibrin (a protein key to blood clotting that is already used in human neuron procedures), mixed with growth factors to form a gel. The gel was then applied to the injury site in rats with completely severed spinal cords.

Using this method, after six weeks, the number of axons emerging from the injury site exceeded by 200-fold what had ever been seen before, said Mark Tuszynski, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the UC San Diego Department of Neurosciences and director of the UC San Diego Center for Neural Repair, who headed the study. The axons also grew 10 times the length of axons in any previous study and, importantly, the regeneration of these axons resulted in significant functional improvement.

In addition, adult cells above the injury site regenerated into the neural stem cells, establishing a new relay circuit that could be measured electrically. By stimulating the spinal cord four segments above the injury and recording this electrical stimulation three segments below, we detected new relays across the transaction site, said Tuszynski.

To confirm that the mechanism underlying recovery was due to formation of new relays, when rats recovered, their spinal cords were re-transected above the implant. The rats lost motor function confirming formation of new relays across the injury.

The grafting procedure resulted in significant functional improvement: On a 21-point walking scale, without treatment, the rats score was only 1.5; following the stem cell therapy, it rose to 7 a score reflecting the animals ability to move all joints of affected legs.

Results were then replicated using two human stem cell lines, one already in human trials for ALS. We obtained the exact results using human cells as we had in the rat cells, said Tuszynski.

The study made use of green fluorescent proteins (GFP), a technique that had never before been used to track neural stem cell growth. By tagging the cells with GFP, we were able to observe the stem cells grow, become neurons and grow axons, showing us the full ability of these cells to grow and make connections with the host neurons, said first author Paul Lu, assistant research scientist at UC San Diegos Center for Neural Repair. This is very exciting, because the technology didnt exist before.

According to the researchers, the study makes clear that early-stage neurons can overcome inhibitors present in the adult nervous system that normally work to maintain the elaborate central nervous system and to keep cells in the adult CNS from growing aberrantly.

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Neural stem cells regenerate axons

ScienceDaily (Sep. 13, 2012) In a study at the University of California, San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare, researchers were able to regenerate "an astonishing degree" of axonal growth at the site of severe spinal cord injury in rats. Their research revealed that early stage neurons have the ability to survive and extend axons to form new, functional neuronal relays across an injury site in the adult central nervous system (CNS).

The study also proved that at least some types of adult CNS axons can overcome a normally inhibitory growth environment to grow over long distances. Importantly, stem cells across species exhibit these properties. The work will be published in the journal Cell on Sept. 14.

The scientists embedded neural stem cells in a matrix of fibrin (a protein key to blood clotting that is already used in human neuron procedures), mixed with growth factors to form a gel. The gel was then applied to the injury site in rats with completely severed spinal cords.

"Using this method, after six weeks, the number of axons emerging from the injury site exceeded by 200-fold what had ever been seen before," said Mark Tuszynski, MD, PhD, professor in the UC San Diego Department of Neurosciences and director of the UCSD Center for Neural Repair, who headed the study. "The axons also grew 10 times the length of axons in any previous study and, importantly, the regeneration of these axons resulted in significant functional improvement."

In addition, adult cells above the injury site regenerated into the neural stem cells, establishing a new relay circuit that could be measured electrically. "By stimulating the spinal cord four segments above the injury and recording this electrical stimulation three segments below, we detected new relays across the transaction site," said Tuszynski.

To confirm that the mechanism underlying recovery was due to formation of new relays, when rats recovered, their spinal cords were re-transected above the implant. The rats lost motor function -- confirming formation of new relays across the injury.

The grafting procedure resulted in significant functional improvement: On a 21-point walking scale, without treatment, the rats score was only 1.5; following the stem cell therapy, it rose to 7 -- a score reflecting the animals' ability to move all joints of affected legs.

Results were then replicated using two human stem cell lines, one already in human trials for ALS. "We obtained the exact results using human cells as we had in the rat cells," said Tuszynski.

The study made use of green fluorescent proteins (GFP), a technique that had never before been used to track neural stem cell growth. "By tagging the cells with GFP, we were able to observe the stem cells grow, become neurons and grow axons, showing us the full ability of these cells to grow and make connections with the host neurons," said first author Paul Lu, PhD, assistant research scientist at UCSD's Center for Neural Repair. "This is very exciting, because the technology didn't exist before."

According to the researchers, the study makes clear that early-stage neurons can overcome inhibitors present in the adult nervous system that normally work to maintain the elaborate central nervous system and to keep cells in the adult CNS from growing aberrantly.

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Neural stem cells regenerate axons in severe spinal cord injury; functional recovery in rats