• Accomplishments
• Contact

• Research
• Spinal Cord Injury Projects
  • Bone Marrow Grafts for Spinal Cord Repair
  • Corticospinal Regeneration
  • EphA4 Peptide Inhibitors for Neurotrauma Treatment
  • Macrophage Cytotoxicity after SCI
  • Matrix Technology for Spinal Cord Repair
  • National Study of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Outcomes
  • New Treatments for Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
  • Novel Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Singing in Spinal Cord Injury
  • Sleep Health in Tetraplegia
  • Spinal Cord Recovery in the Opossum
• Traumatic Brain Injury Projects
• Targeted Initiatives
• Completed TBI and SCI Projects
• Program Grants

Bone Marrow Grafts for Spinal Cord Repair

Human Bone Marrow Stromal Grafts in Combination with Decorin for Repair for the Injured Spinal Cord

Chief Investigators: Associate Professor Paul Simmons, Dr Giles Plant, Dr Stuart Hodgetts, Professor Silviu Itescu
Lead Organisation: Spinal Cord Society of Australia
VNI Funding: $856,246
Project Start Date: 14-Aug-07

Project Summary:
This research project aims to demonstrate that transplantation of Human Bone Marrow Stromal Stem Cells (hBMSCs), in combination with the scar reducing compound Decorin, will provide a favourable environment within the injured Spinal Cord by reducing the extent of injury (tissue sparing) and promoting regeneration (and other endogenous repair mechanisms not yet known) following spinal cord injury (SCI). The primary aim of this research is to show that improved functional recovery can be achieved with the combination of hBMSCs and Decorin in a rat model of SCI. In the long term, the knowledge gained from this project will guide new clinical strategies in the treatment of acute and chronic SCI.