Cure research can be overwhelming and confusing. Many smaller foundations want to fund promising research, but lack the scientific expertise to vet their funding decisions. The U2FP Scientific Advisory Board is here to fill this gap. We make that expertise available to these important members of the paralysis community.
The U2FP Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) directs dollars from SCI foundations to research that is Relevant to Chronic Injury, Replicable, Translatable and Innovative.
Relevant to Chronic Injury
Giving preference to chronic injury research allows for a greater impact to the vast majority of individuals currently living with a spinal cord injury.
Replicable
Research needs to be replicated in order to move toward clinical trials. We want to identify opportunities to replicate research that shows promise for innovative treatments.
Translatable
Research that is applicable to the chronic injury and has the potential to move from animal models to human trials.
Innovative
We wish to identify research that is asking bold questions with conservative interpretations, rather than conservative questions with bold interpretations.
Review Board - Members
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Dr. Popovich is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair at Ohio State University.
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Dr. Chao is a Professor of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, and professor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine.
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Dr. Grahn is a scientist at the Mayo Clinic focused on SCI clinical studies. He has a cervical spinal cord injury, adding urgency to his work.
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Dr. Houle is a professor in the Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy at Drexel University College of Medicine, and director of the Spinal Cord Research Center.
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Dr. Kirshblum is the Medical Director and Director of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - West Orange campus.
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Dr. Paul Lu is an Associate Adjunct Professor of Neuroscience at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and a Research Health Science Specialist at the Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System.
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Dr. Tansey is a senior scientist at the Center for Neuroscience and Neurological Recovery.
History
In September of 2012, U2FP - in partnership with SCI Sucks - initiated a Scientific Advisory Board. Its purpose was and is to provide investors in the SCI community with peer-reviewed recommendations on where to direct critical funding and information on specific research interests.
