Grant: Operating Grant

Spinal cord injury (SCI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are just some of the devastating conditions that can affect the adult spinal cord. There are currently few treatment options and no cures for such conditions, which are associated with the death of spinal cord cells and result in disruption of communication between the brain and our body. The recent discovery of stem cells within the adult spinal cord may offer a novel way for replacing the dying spinal cord cells and improving the outcome following such diverse conditions. In this project, we propose to activate the spinal cord's own intrinsic stem cells in order to improve its self-repair capabilities. We will investigate how spinal cord stem cells respond to tissue injury and then dissect the cellular events that control these responses. We will then use this information to stimulate spinal cord stem cells to regenerate subpopulations of neural cells in animal models of spinal cord injury and MS. It is expected that this collaborative project between the laboratories of Dr. Karl Fernandes (stem cell and spinal cord researcher, Montreal) and Dr. Steve Lacroix (neuroimmunologist and spinal cord researcher, Quebec City) will ultimately contribute to the development of innovative stem cell-based therapies for spinal cord repair.