Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation Hosts Inaugural Spinal Cord Symposium: A Dialogue Between CRPF Grant Holders and the Community 3/8/2004
From: Julie Kwon of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, 973-379-2690 ext. 121 SPRINGFIELD, N.J., March 8 -- The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (CRPF) will host its first Spinal Cord Symposium in Oak Brook, Illinois from Sunday, March 21 through Tuesday, March 23. The Symposium will gather together active CRPF research grant recipients, and members of the spinal cord injury community, CRPF's Board of Directors, and Science Advisory Council. "The Spinal Cord Symposium will be a relatively small, intimate gathering designed to maximize opportunities for dialogue between scientists and lay people," said Susan P. Howley, CRPF director of Research and Executive Vice President. "The meeting is highly interactive, mixing science presented in user-friendly ways with social venues to encourage conversations between scientists and other members of the spinal cord community. This is a real departure from most scientific meetings and we believe it will foster constructive exchanges of knowledge, ideas, and patient perspectives." Fred H. Gage, Ph.D., professor at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif., and a member of CRPF's Research Consortium on Spinal Cord Injury, will deliver the Keynote Lecture, Regulation of Neurogenesis in the Adult Nervous System, on Sunday evening. Dr. Gage's work focuses on the adult central nervous system and its unexpected plasticity and adaptability to environmental stimulation that remains throughout the life of all mammals. In addition, his studies explore the cellular and molecular, as well as environmental influences that regulate neurogenesis in the adult brain and spinal cord. Dr. Gage has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, among them the 1993 Charles A. Dana Award for Pioneering Achievements in Health and Education, the Christopher Reeve Research Medal in 1997, the 1999 Max Planck Research Prize, and the MetLife Award in 2002. Corey S. Goodman, Ph.D., president & CEO of Renovis Inc., San Francisco, Calif., will present a biotechnology perspective on spinal cord research in his Monday evening lecture. "This is a meeting unlike most scientific gatherings," said Christopher Reeve, chairman of CRPF. "It's designed to bring our grant holders face-to-face with supporters of the Foundation, people who are spinal cord injured, their family members, and their caregivers. We want to knock down barriers and open lines of communication so that everyone leaves this meeting changed by their encounters and their newfound knowledge." For more information on CRPF's Spinal Cord Symposium, visit: http://www.ChristopherReeve.org or contact Susan P. Howley at 800-225-0292 ext. 113. --- The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (CRPF) is committed to funding research that develops treatments and cures for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders. The Foundation also vigorously works to improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities through its grants program, Paralysis Resource Center, and advocacy efforts. | |