We're committed to funding the cure for Spinal Cord Injury.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead
Each of the people listed here have committed to raising $1000 for spinal cord injury research before 11/15/08. That's just $20 a week.
How can you help? DONATE! Or, better yet, Commit to raising $1K yourself and while you're at it, ASK 10 friends to each raise $1000 for spinal cord injury research by 11/15/08.
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When you reach your goal, transfer the funds you've raised from chipin to one of the researchers featured here.
How do I raise funds? give up 2 Starbucks (gasp) a week have a garage sale host a car wash pass the hat hold a raffle put a donation jar at your favorite hang-out host a dinner or other fun event do a something-a-thon Just make it fun, tell everyone you know, and involve your local media to increase awareness of your efforts.
Stephen Davies Davies is exploring methods to remove the glial scar; the barrier to CNS communication above and below the injury site.
Davies theorizes that once the chronic scar is degraded, it will not return. This will be important when newer cell-based treatments surface in the future. Additionally, there is evidence the CNS is constantly trying to regenerate, therefore, scar removal as a first step could maximize the CNS's ability to repair itself.
Therefore, the first human trials to arise from Davies’ work will utilize Decorin as a single modality. Decorin has shown to provide numerous effects in the acute setting, among these are: 1) appears to be safe, is presently in testing in the cancer research field 2) promotes plasticity 3) desensitizes neurons to their environment 4) degrades the chronic scar (preliminary findings) 5) a human form of Decorin is currently available.
In one of Davies' prior research papers, he achieved 60% regeneration into the acute lesion and 40% of the 60% grew beyond the lesion site. This is robust. Davies is trying to achieve this same feat in the chronic cord. Learn more about Dr. Davies' work Learn more about your donations ---------------------------------- Hans Keirstead Dr. Keirstead’s team has had great success turning hESCs, into oligodendrocytes, with a purity level above 95%. Injection of the cells into sub-acute paralyzed rats (within 2 weeks of injury) resulted in improvement of function. Clinical trials are now scheduled to begin in 2008.
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