Project 1

Human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSC) in combination with Decorin for repair of the injured spinal cord.

Chief Investigators:	Dr Paul Simmons, Professor Silviu Itescu (UM), Dr Giles Plant (UWA),Dr Stuart Hodgetts (UWA)
Lead Organisation:	StepAhead Australia
Collaborating Organisations:	University of Western Australia; University of Melbourne (St. Vincent’s Hospital) Browns Foundation, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center. Houston
Project Commencement Date:	August 14 2007
Project Completion Date:	August 14 2010
Total Value of Project	$936,000 over 3 years

Project Description

Hypothesis:

This research project aims to show that transplantation of hBMSCs, in combination with the scar reducing compound Decorin will provide a favourable environment within the injured Spinal Cord (SC) by reducing the extent of injury (tissue sparing) and promoting regeneration (and other endogenous repair mechanisms not yet known) following spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objectives:

The overall objective over the three years of the project is to isolate and transplant human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) from spinal cord injured patients and use them to repair the injured mammalian spinal cord (SC) after acute (immediate) and chronic (long term) spinal cord injury (SCI), in combination with the naturally occurring proven scar reducing compound Decorin.

The primary aim of this research is to show in the rat model improved functional recovery after SCI can be achieved with the combination of hBMSCs and Decorin. Longer term, the knowledge gained from this project will impact neurotrauma by guiding new clinical strategies in the treatment of acute and chronic SCI.

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