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2004 Directors' Summary Synopsis
FROM THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR
W. Dalton Dietrich, Ph.D.
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Axons from neurons in the brain do not grow into grafts made up of Schwann cells only (Schwann cells in red).
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Many axons from the brain (green) grow into Schwann cell grafts after treatment with rolipram and dibutyryl-cAMP.
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Some of these axons from the brain also grow from the graft into the spinal cord beyond the graft.
Figures from Nature Medicine Vol 10, No 6, June 2004. Printed with author's permission.
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This has been a very exciting year in terms of scientific discovery. Miami Project researchers reported a remarkable improvement in motor function in spinal cord injured animals treated with a new combination therapy. This therapy included the drug rolipram, a treatment that prevents the loss of a nerve-supporting molecule, cyclic-AMP (cAMP). Together with transplanted Schwann cells harvested from the animal and additional cAMP, the animals regained up to 70% of walking function. These findings demonstrated a dramatic functional improvement and represent some of the most promising results published to date.
Miami Project researchers are concentrating their efforts on the necessary steps required to move this new therapy to patients with spinal cord injury. In the following pages, we share our newest discovery and offer updates on our international cooperation and the advances in the full scope of our research programs.
This year, The Miami Project program underwent an intensive External Advisory Committee review to evaluate its experimental and clinical programs. This internationally representative committee agreed that The Miami Project is the leading program of its nature in the nation, if not in the world. They felt our center is particularly innovative in the overall interactions between our clinical and research programs.
As an additional testament to the merit of our research, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis/Department of Neurological Surgery was ranked fourth in the country for funding from the National Institutes of Health. Some of the support received from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has been earmarked for an especially important area of study – replication of promising pre-clinical research. The NINDS is also supporting our efforts to recruit and train outstanding young investigators in the field of SCI research and to enhance research collaborations between different laboratories.
This year also brought growth to The Miami Project. We are happy to announce that two new junior scientists have joined The Miami Project to contribute to our overall research program. Drs. Damien Pearse and Barbara Grimpe have expanded our research team by bringing new ideas and expertise. We have also expanded our state-of-the-art facility by acquiring sophisticated new laboratory equipment and software that will drastically reduce the amount of time needed to analyze thousands of compounds that could influence axon growth. Our clinical programs, including resistance weight training and drug trials targeting pain and spasticity, are improving the quality of life of spinal cord injured persons. With the increased emphasis on our applied research and expanding human subjects research programs, we are experiencing an excitement never before witnessed in our field. |
