Annual symposium to advance treatments for spinal cord injury
Official title: Unite 2 Fight Paralysis Annual Science and Advocacy Symposium
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11000598 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This symposium is bringing together researchers, advocates, and people who have experienced spinal cord injuries to work together on new treatments and make sure everyone has a voice in the process, especially those from underrepresented groups.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $25,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R13NS139605-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11000598 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation include individuals with spinal cord injuries, advocates, and researchers from diverse backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have spinal cord injuries or are not involved in advocacy or research may not benefit from this symposium.
What this research studies
This symposium aims to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion among participants while accelerating the development of novel treatments for spinal cord injury (SCI). It will bring together various stakeholders, including researchers, advocates, and individuals with lived experience of SCI, to foster collaboration and address the complexities of SCI treatment. The event will feature discussion sessions and workshops focused on equitable scientific communication and outreach to underrepresented groups. By promoting diverse participation, the symposium seeks to drive meaningful change in the SCI field.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments and better outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Previous initiatives focused on enhancing diversity in medical research have shown positive outcomes in participant engagement and treatment advancements.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Floyd, Candace L. — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Floyd, Candace L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Neuromuscular Junction Problems in Hyperkalemic Paralysis
A clinician-scientist is pursuing five years of advanced training and research to better understand and care for people with neuromuscular diseases related to hyperkalemic paralysis.
-
Restoring movement after paralysis with AI-powered copilots
A patient-facing AI-aided system would help people with paralysis perform everyday tasks by interpreting the user’s intent and guiding assistive robots.
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CoPE II: Personalizing patient-reported outcomes for vocal fold paralysis care
Aimed at tailoring patient-reported outcome measures to each person with unilateral vocal fold paralysis to better guide treatment decisions.
-
Mobile brain-computer interface to help veterans with paralysis control devices
Aimed at improving a mobile brain-computer interface to help veterans with paralysis better control assistive devices at home.
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Preventing awareness during paralysis in emergency ventilated patients and reducing PTSD
This project will change emergency department medication defaults to cut back on a paralytic drug and see if that lowers the chance that adults put on ventilators wake up while paralyzed and later develop PTSD.
-
Muscle stem cells to repair paralyzed vocal cords
This project uses muscle-derived stem cells to rebuild and strengthen paralyzed vocal cords in adults with vocal fold paralysis.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.