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The Spinal Cord Society - Research
In June, the Spinal Cord Society submitted for publication recent developments from the SCS Laboratory. We are anxiously awaiting for the publishers approval. Once we have this information we will share the results on the web site. We appreciate all the financial support that has lead us to this point.
PRESENT SCS PROJECTS
Spinal Cord Society Research Center
(projects include bridging, delivery systems, transplants,
regeneration, and scar disruption.)
Estimated annual cost: $800,000 - $1,000,000
Reports on various Center projects appear in the SCS Newsletter each month.
| MILESTONES TO CURE | ||
|---|---|---|
| BEFORE 1940 | A severe spinal injury was nearly always an immediate death sentence. | |
| 1940 | Antibiotics and modern rehab enable most patients to live but not be cured. | |
| 1950s | Drugs and oxygen first used to reverse paralysis in a few new injuries. | |
| 1960s | Late decompressions begin although first done in 1930's. | |
| 1968 | First spinal cord cooling operation (hypothermia) done on a new injury. | |
| 1976 | Clinical applications of hypothermia on new injuries in Canada. | |
| 1978 | SCS founded. Newsletters announce the need for centralized research and treatment. | |
| 1979 | First SCS research grant made. | |
| 1980 | First SCS Chapters. | |
| 1981 | First SCS Cure Research Conference. | |
| 1982 | FES computerized walking first brought to the forefront by SCS grants. | |
| 1982 | First SCS National Convention. Researchers say CNS regeneration now feasible. | |
| 1982 | SCS computerized Data and Referral System begun. | |
| 1983 | First artificial spinal bone substitute research funded by SCS. | |
| 1983 | First targeted regeneration research begun by SCS. | |
| 1984 | President Reagan commends SCS activities in his State of the Union Address on national TV. | |
| 1984 | First chronic Spinal Cord Center started at the University of Minnesota by SCS. | |
| 1985 | First inhibitor control and antiserum research--SCS project. | |
| 1986 | First axonal regeneration via applied electric fields--SCS project. | |
| 1987 | First artificial restoration of spinal cord function--SCS project. | |
| 1987 | SCS-sponsored Center for Paralysis Research at Purdue University. | |
| 1988 | First RES dog trials in the CPR at Purdue. | |
| 1989 | Human trials with 4-AP. | |
| 1990 | Humanization of RES. | |
| 1990 | Scar neutralization at UAB. | |
| 1991 | Clinical trials with beta agonist-FES therapy, University of Minnesota. | |
| 1991 | Gene therapy at last, Colorado State University. | |
| 1991 | Scar disruption and axonal regeneration on bridges at UAB. | |
| 1992 | Precision delivery of treatments via liposomes, University of Alaska, Anchorage. | |
| 1993 | Development of neuroliposomes, UAA. | |
| 1993 | Refunction begins with scar disrupter, UAB. | |
| 1993 | First new neuron trials, CSU. | |
| 1994 | Immunoliposome clinical trials in gene therapy, CSU. | |
| 1994 | Refunction trials with scar disrupter plus combinations, UAB. | |
| 1995 | Trials with portable miniaturized extremity pump, Marquette University. | |
| 1995 | Clinical trials with combinations of growth factors, scar disrupter, bridges, new neurons, and inhibitor controls: CSU, UAB, UTM, UAA, and UV. | |
| 1996-97 | Combination trials in regeneration and refunction, UAB. | |
| 1997-98 | Analyses of proliferation and differentiation of human CNS neurons and stem cells, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. | |
| 1997-98 | Prevention of UTI using E. coli bacterial interference, Baylor. | |
| 1998 | New method for relief of persistent pain resulting from chronic spinal cord injury, U of M. | |
| 1998 | Stem cell human trials announced by Cedars-Sinai. | |
| 1999 | Neurotrophin method of blocking all inhibitors found at Hunter College. | |
| 1999 | Neural stem cells changed to other types of cells simply by changing their enviroment rather than them, National Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy. | |
| 1999-01 | Spinal cord restoration by combining exercise with growth factors, UCLA and UAB. | |
| 2000 | Successful Parkinsonism human trial with SCS research support, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Later Quashed | |
| 2000 | SCS SCI human trials submitted for approval in Estonia. | |
| 2001 | Spinal Cord Society cure Research Center opens. | |
| 2002 | New Center research program. | |
| 2002 | First nasal glial cell human trials in Portugal and Australia. | |
| 2002 | SCS Research Center fully staffed. | |
| 2002 | SCS Center research seeking means to improve the resulting refunction from human olfactory cell (nasal cell) and bone cell (stromal cells) transplant trials. | |
| 2003 | Human trials planned. | |
| 2004 | U.S. SCS -- SCS N.Z. Human trials in New Zealand | |
| 2005 | U.S. SCS -- SCS Canada. Human trials planned at the University of Alberta, Edmonton. | |
| 2008 | First chronic refunction produced. | |
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SCS plans to continue it's efforts to increase public awareness of potential progress in this crucial field, and to focus research and advanced treatment in a centralized program for cure.