Stem cell-based therapies hold great potential to treat spinal cord injury and additional nervous system traumatic syndromes due to lack of regeneration in the adult nervous system. Our research focuses on delivering stem cells into a complete spinal cord injury. We utilize tissue engineering methods to enhance stem cell integration and survival post implantation. In addition we study the effect of vascularization on spinal cord regeneration. Alternatively, we exploit the regenerative effects of stem cell-derived exosomes as therapeutics and drug delivery platforms to target the spinal cord lesion.
This study was supported by the J&J Shervington Fund (SL), and the Israel Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury (SL).