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Lab Rats

Placing SCI Community Members into SCI Research Labs

Share Your Knowledge

U2FP is helping to place individuals with a spinal cord injury into SCI research labs to act as expert consultants.
We call this initiative, Lab Rats.

Having an individual with an SCI embedded with a research team is tremendously valuable for all parties involved. It keeps the lab focused on the practical implications of its goals, allowing researchers ongoing access to someone whose experience with spinal cord injury isn't confined to abstract knowledge. Alternately, it introduces the person with lived experience of the injury to the complex challenges facing researchers. This dynamic relationship allows both parties to more deeply confront the challenges and nuances of delivering restorative treatments for this difficult injury.

How It Works

  • Interested SCI Researchers or Community members apply by completing our intake form (link below)
     
  • Applicants are interviewed by Matthew Rodreick (U2FP's Executive Director)
     
  • SCI Researchers or Community members are notified of their placement status soon after their interview

 


Latest News

What follows is the final summary report from the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) Listening Session which was organized by U2FP. The below report has been officially approved by the Patient Affairs Group at the FDA.

Opening Remarks: Description of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) as a Multi-System Condition

SCI is a multi-system condition with a population of patients that exhibit a heterogeneous set of symptoms and secondary complications. It is not well served by traditional clinical trial designs with only one or two clearly defined...

Hear the Impact

Listen to researchers Murray Blackmore (Marquette University) and Michael Lane (Drexel University) talk about the impact their SCI Consultants Nancy Nicholas (Marquette) and Jake Chalfin (Drexel) are making in their labs.

More Questions?

Have more questions before filling out the intake form? Email matthewrodreick@u2fp.org