The Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF) announced today the results of its first research funding cycle of 2005, awarding $1,934,893 to 16 projects across the globe. The research projects cover an entire spectrum, from basic science to taking bench research into the clinic for application in patients.

Grants were awarded all over the world, including: Sydney, Australia; Marseille, France; Cambridge, United Kingdom; Calgary and Edmonton, both in Alberta, Canada, among 10 in the United States, including five in New York City.

"The scope of these grants truly reflects the Foundation's mission -- to fund research from the bench to the bedside," said Susan P. Howley, Director of Research and Executive Vice President of CRF. "The range of projects -- from directing stem cells into neurons, to an innovative approach to healing decubitis ulcers -- demonstrates how far the field of spinal cord injury repair has come in the last few years. There is no doubt that CRF is supporting some of the most promising research in the world that will likely lead to treatments and cures for spinal cord injury."

George Paxinos, Ph.D. at Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute in Sydney, Australia, is creating the first-ever 3D atlas of the spinal cord. Through this project, CRF is enhancing the basic research environment for investigators around the world, providing them with the tools they have requested to accelerate spinal cord research.

CRF is also funding clinical applications, for example, through the work of Dr. Jaynie Yang at the University of Alberta, whose project "community walking" proposes a new training method aimed at individuals who have completed treadmill training, but are not yet walking in everyday situations. Treadmill training involves repetitive weight bearing and stepping on a treadmill and may lead to beneficial changes in the spinal cord itself; for example, by promoting axon regeneration and by "teaching" the spinal cord below the injury to activate the muscles needed for standing or walking. Weight-supported treadmill training has been an effective means towards achieving this goal, particularly in the initial stages of retraining, however, "community walking" requires the subject be able to cope with different textures and irregularities of the walking surface, doors, curbs, stairs, and carrying objects while walking.

CRF's Individual Research Grants Program is the organization's largest, most comprehensive research initiative that focuses on the molecular and cellular level of research. The Foundation's support of basic research at this level through this program provides investigators the opportunity to take smart risks and bold ideas, and turn them into catalytic breakthroughs. The findings that emerge from these research endeavors have the potential to contribute to treatments for other devastating diseases, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, MS, ALS, and stroke.

Every research application submitted to CRF is reviewed by the Foundation's Science Advisory Council, a panel of accomplished neuroscientists who volunteer their time and expertise to evaluate proposals based on scientific merit, relevance to CRF's research priorities, and promise for clinical application. This rigorous process ensures that CRF funds only the most meritorious science that is targeted at developing effective therapies for paralysis and dysfunctions caused by spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders.

CRF's Individual Research Grants are awarded twice yearly with application deadlines in June and December. For a complete list of grantees or more information on CRF's research programs and the research projects that are funded, visit: christopherreeve/research/researchmain.cfm

. The Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF) is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. For more information, please call (973) 379-2690 or visit ChristopherReeve.

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