Dr. Samuel Stupp his team at Northwestern University in Chicago have made a true breakthrough in spinal cord injury research. They were able to cure severely injured mice using an an injection of synthesized peptides below the level of injury. These peptides forms into a gel onto the spinal cord creating a network of mesh fibers that carry signals, aka “dancing molecules,” to the neurons to begin regeneration. They hope to begin human trials next year by getting advanced FDA approval. Read more

Researchers have identified a drug that helps sensory neurons in the central nervous system heal. They gave mice a drug called fenofibrate that’s approved by the FDA to treat high cholesterol. It activated the support cells surrounding sensory neurons and helped them regrow about twice as fast as normal. No human studies are as of yet planned. Read more

Although the research was conducted on rats and not humans (they say humans will be next, and soon), a new method of 3D bioprinting neural tissues developed in China has shown exciting potential. “In a new study, published in the journal Biomaterials, the team outlines how the bio-ink can be 3D-printed into scaffolds that encourage interactions between cells, which is vital to reversing the paralysis caused by SCIs.” Read more

Researchers at Ohio State University have recently discovered that the widely prescribed pain relief drug Gabapentin may help people with acute spinal cord injuries have less severe autonomic dysreflexia down the road. The key is making sure they are given the drug right away. Learn more

Researchers at Yale have recently expressed sincere excitement over the results they have seen from a working with Japanese researchers to help people with spinal cord injuries regain function. After injecting paralyzed mice with their own stem cells, some regained mobility. Read a breakdown of this research from Sam Maddox here

Gene therapy is looking more and more to be a promising area of research for spinal cord injuries. In China, researchers were able to regenerate functional new neurons in the spinal cords of paralyzed monkeys, even in those with glial scars on their spinal cord, using gene therapy. Read more

New spinal cord injury research conducted at Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania has discovered that glial cells, which can help regrow neurons after a spinal cord injury, can be turned on and off via a metabolic switch. Read more

In a new study published by the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, stem cell graphs implanted into mice with the spinal cord injuries shows they seamlessly integrated into the spinal cord, helping the nerve pathways operate normally. To learn more, click here.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found that by using epidural stimulation, they can help people with so-called “complete” injuries regain movement in their legs after long-term stimulation. This is great news for those injured for several years. Learn more

Longing for your gym or therapy center while quarantining? Here is a home exercise machine that many could use with a spinal cord injury – the Wheeler Paramill. A treadmill for manual wheelchair users, this treadmill is operated by rolling onto the machine then locking oneself in and pushing ahead. It tracks how many miles you’ve pushed with a digital screen. Learn more here