MIAMI, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, April 3, scientists from The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis will lead a course on spinal cord injury (SCI) research issues associated with moving research from the laboratory to human settings. Co-hosted by the American Spinal Injury Association, the Veterans Administration Rehab R&D Center of Excellence in Functional Recovery and Chronic SCI, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, South Florida Model SCI System and the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, the all-day seminar will bring together doctors, scientists and students in the field of SCI to discuss the potential results of moving research forward to the human condition.
"Moving research from the lab to humans is paramount to our goal of a cure for paralysis. It's important to discuss these issues so the field can determine our next steps toward human trials," says Dr. W. Dalton Dietrich, Scientific Director, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
The Miami Project's model of teaching and research is based on shared knowledge among the scientific community. "Courses such as these are integral to scientific advancement. It is encouraging to have everyone interact with doctors from other research disciplines. This seminar will be a great opportunity for the scientists to share and learn," added Dietrich.
Miami Project Ambassador, Marc Buoniconti will address the attendees during the last portion of the seminar to offer his perspective to the scientists regarding moving research forward and what that means to the SCI individuals.
"Many important questions need to be answered to decide what ideal therapies will be utilized to improve the quality of life for the spinal cord injured community now and into the future," said Buoniconti.
Course topics include:
* An examination of the relationship of models of injury;
* The relationship of recovery of function;
* Methods of measurement of both motor and sensory function in animals
vs
humans;
* The state of the art in neuroprotection;
* Neural regeneration;
* How to confirm that a therapy works in animals prior to its transfer
to
humans;
* Cellular therapies including what the FDA needs to approve to move
from
the laboratory to human subjects;
* What the FDA is looking for in drug development;
* The issues of consumer perspective and the professional literature;
and
* Comments from a leading consumer on the needs of patients with SCI.
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a Center of Excellence at the University of Miami School of Medicine, is the world's largest, most comprehensive research center dedicated to finding more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for paralysis that results from spinal cord injury.
The mission of the American Spinal Injury Association is to promote and establish standards of excellence for all aspects of health care of individuals with spinal cord injury from onset throughout life. Educate members, other healthcare professionals, patients and their families as well as the public on all aspects of spinal cord injury and its consequences in order to prevent injury, improve care, increase availability of services and maximize the injured individual's potential for full participation in all areas of community life. Foster research which aims at preventing spinal cord injury, improving care, reducing consequent disability, and finding a cure for both acute and chronic SCI. And to facilitating communication between members and other physicians, other health care professionals, researchers and consumers.