Leading investigator Professor Jane Butler believes a combination of exciting new therapies will see the biggest gains for people living with a spinal cord injury.
Professor Butler is internationally known for her research into spinal cord injury, specifically the neural control of respiration and neurorehabilitation after injury.
Jane and her team of 12 recently relocated to the Kolling Institute after her appointment as a Senior Principal Research and SpinalCure Fellow.
She said the Kolling is an outstanding research institute with some of the top spinal cord injury researchers in the world, and our team was keen to join forces with these researchers to work towards better outcomes for people with a spinal cord injury.
“We are looking to bring some meaningful contributions and new collaborative opportunities to the existing spinal cord injury groups here at the Kolling,” she said.
“It is an incredibly important time for spinal cord injury research, with new therapies offering hope for greater function and quality of life for those living with an injury.
“These approaches need to be tested rigorously through clinical trials before they can be put into clinical practice, but I’m hopeful that some of these therapies will make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Professor Butler believes a combination of therapies to maximise any improvements will be the way of the future.
“Currently, we are seeing encouraging gains in function in feasibility studies using techniques like neurostimulation of the spinal cord or peripheral nerves, and acute intermittent hypoxia, involving controlled exposure to low oxygen.
“There is a focus too on new molecules to facilitate regrowth of axons across the injury site – regarded as the holy grail.
“There are promising signs with these techniques, but they will need to be thoroughly tested before they’re progressed.
“My greatest hope is that we will be able to help make the lives of people with spinal cord injury significantly easier by improving function and movement.”
With a large program of work ahead of her, Professor Buttler is looking to grow her team through new research students, while also establishing new collaborative opportunities.
Her team is focusing on both fundamental and translational outcomes to support people with spinal cord injury. Professor Butler has more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and has attracted more than $27 million in funding over her career.
If you would like to know more contact: jane.butler1@sydney.edu.au
