Our paper demonstrating that brain electrical stimulation can restore movement after chronic corticospinal injury in rats was accepted for publication in the Journal of Neuroscience. TRF funding was critical for allowing us to pursue this important line of investigation. I have also been asked to present the study as a platform presentation at the American Society for Neurorehabilitation meeting in San Diego this week. Finally, I was recently received an award for my research from the Westchester Medical Society: http://westfaironline.com/58787/7-doctors-awarded-in-first-ever-distinction-ceremony
For each of these achievements, TRF funding has been integral to our success. As I said at the wiffle ball tournament, I believe that the incredible advances in basic neuroscience will soon be experienced as meaningful changes in treatments for people with spinal cord injury. This study and others that TRF supports help to validate that optimism.
7 doctors awarded in first-ever ‘distinction’ ceremony
Dr. Jason B. Carmel, director of the Motor Recovery Laboratory and Early Brain Injury Recovery Clinic at The Burke Medical Research Institute in White Plains and recipient of the research excellence award, shared his story of growing up with a twin brother who suffered from a spinal cord injury. Carmel said a doctor told his brother there was nothing he could do to help him, which sparked Carmel’s interest in basic science research. “Imagine a day when a patient comes up to the doctor and asks, ‘Can you help me?’ and he can reply, ‘Yes, we can,’” he said.
Carmel is researching how motor functions recover after the central nervous system is injured and is exploring activity-based therapies including electrical stimulation and motor training that can help strengthen the spinal cord and brain connection.
