Researchers from University of Louisville receive $1 million grant from National Institutes of Health
The grant comes from the National Institute of Health’s Neuromod Prize competition that seeks to advance neuromodulation therapies that can alleviate the paralytic effects of spinal cord injuries.
University of Louisville's Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center researchers Susan Harkema and Charles Hubscher have won a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health as part of the Neuromod Prize competition to research neuromodulation therapies to help survivors of spinal cord injuries relearn how to perform physical functions they lost due to their injuries.
According to an article on the University of Louisville’s website, Harkema, who is the leader of University of Louisville’s Neuromod Prize project, was quoted as saying of the potential their research holds, “This technology holds enormous potential for people living with paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury. Our research so far, and the progress we will make supported by this new funding, could dramatically improve all aspects of their daily lives, from movement to cardiovascular function.”
The Neuromod Prize competition’s website describes the competition as “a SPARC (Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions) initiative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that is accelerating the development of targeted neuromodulation therapies.” It goes on to explain that neuromodulation is the act of targeting the nervous system to treat both symptoms and diseases that allow individuals suffering from conditions that include reduced physical function.
Harkema and Hubscher are working alongside Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Medtronic, and the Kessler Research Foundation to create StimXS, a device that will monitor blood pressure and help individuals improve their bladder and respiratory function. Similar past research by the team resulted in improved health functions in those with spinal cord injuries.
Hubscher shared his excitement to continue their promising research. He said, “With this new Phase 2 Neuromod funding, we can take a major step toward advancing this technology for broad use in patients. We’ve seen great results in the lab, but the true impact of this technology will be when it’s in a clinical setting and helping the people who need it most.”
Jon Klein, who serves as the interim executive vice president for research and innovation at the University of Louisville, commented on the team’s research, saying, “This is truly game-changing research with the power to improve lives. I applaud the research team for their success in driving this important work forward and am excited to see them translate this for broad use in patients.”
The team’s project was a Phase 2 winner of the Neuromod Prize. As a result, the team is invited to participate in the third phase of the competition. Winners of Phase 3 have a $5 million prize pool to continue their research even further.
For more information about University of Louisville, visit the school’s website.