World's Leading Spinal Cord Scientists Meet in Salzburg, AustriaSANTA MONICA, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 28, 2008 -- The foremost spinal cord injury
researchers from the U.S. and around the globe will meet
in Salzburg's
Hangar 7 this April 28-May 2 for a scientific symposium
hosted by Wings for
Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation. Twenty-six of the
world's most
renowned neuroscientists, including 13 U.S. scholars, will
be discussing
such topics as an injured spinal cord's ability to regenerate
and the
potential treatments for
Paraplegia.
Symposium presenters include Stephen Strittmatter of Yale
University School
of Medicine speaking on "The Nogo Receptor Pathway Regulating
Axonal Growth
after Spinal Cord Injury" and a talk entitled "Microglia
in CNS
Inflammation" by David Hafler of Harvard Medical School.
Amongst
cross-continental contributors is Vienna-based neuroscientist
Friedrich
Propst who has examined a possible therapeutic approach
with molecules
which are released during a spinal cord injury within the
nerve fibre
itself that then inhibit the nerves from reconnecting. Propst,
along with
handful of presenters each day, will provide the basis for
an ongoing
dialogue amongst their professional peers.
SCIENTIFIC STRIDES
Neurologist Vieri Failli, Scientific Vice President of Wings
for Life and
symposium presenter, has said, "The question is no longer
if paraplegia
will be curable one day but rather when." One very promising
approach to
finding a cure can be found in the work of Swiss neuroscientist
Martin
Schwab. Twenty years ago Schwab disproved the prevailing
dogma that cut
fibres in the Central Nervous System could never reconnect:
with the aid of
a special Antibody therapy, he succeeded in restoring paralyzed
rats'
ability to walk. This treatment approach, supplemented by
additional
therapeutic measures, is currently being explored in the
first clinical
trial involving newly injured people. Schwab and German
neuroscientist Jan
Schwab of Charité Berlin, who has explored the necessary
therapeutic
supplements, will provide information on this and also on
other clinical
trials as well as on current scientific thought in spinal
cord research.
BACKING THE CAUSE
Applying a very stringent scientific selection process,
Wings for Life
Spinal Cord Research Foundation has been a major supporter
of the work of
these prominent scientists, contributing over $100,000 to
Propst's studies
alone. The foundation is a philanthropic organization co-founded
by
two-time motocross World Champion Heinz Kinigadner and Red
Bull Energy
Drink® founder Dietrich Mateschitz. The foundation's
goals are
four-fold: (1) fund cutting-edge scientific research aimed
to heal spinal
cord injury; (2) improve scientific communication in this
specific field of
research; (3) develop concrete, clinical intervention strategies;
and (4)
prevent spinal cord injuries from ever happening.
Important dates:
-- Symposium on "Functional Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury"
April 28 - May 2, 2008, Hangar 7, Salzburg, Austria
-- Round Table with Martin Schwab and Jan Schwab
April 30, 2008, Hangar 7, Salzburg, Austria:
-- Presentation on the findings of Friedrich Propst
May 2, 2008, Hangar 7, Salzburg, Austria
To learn more about the scientific symposium, Wings for
Life or to make a
tax-deductible donation, visit www.wingsforlife.com.
For all media
inquiries, please contact Ellie Applen at
(310)
460-4532.
Contact: Media Contacts:
Ellie Applen
Ellen.applen@us.redbull.com
310-460-4532
Source:
Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation
