Scentific Program
Detailed Scientific Program
The Scientific Program for NNS 2026 is now available.
Please note that the program is subject to change without notice.
Times shown are in Central Time (CT).
(SESSION)NNS Fun Run
(SESSION)Opening Ceremony
(SESSION)KN01 - Lived Experience Keynote
Session Description
KNO1.01 - Belief, Connection, Resilience, and Time. What Recovery After Brain Injury Often Requires.
Recovery after many brain injuries unfolds over years, not weeks. Drawing on qualitative research as well as two decades of lived experience recovering from a severe traumatic brain injury, this keynote explores the human capacities that make long-term healing possible: belief, connection, resilience, and agency. It examines why post-acute care can produce better outcomes by deliberately strengthening these capacities. Recovery demands systems designed not just for survival, but for adaptation, meaning, and sustained engagement over time.
KN01.02 - Utilizing the Under-rated Resource of Lived-experience as an ally for Funding, Informing Research Priorities, and Building a case for Urgency.
Topics to be discussed:
-Illustrating the "inaccessibility cycle" using our first-ever Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon handcycle attempt and its parallels to finding a seat at the table of research.
-The U2FP LabRats lab consultant program as an example of utilizing lived-experience to inform "community impact", research priorities, clinical study design, and study recruitment/retainment
-Our work to support researchers through state-level research grant bills, including our current effort in WI.
-Our work to defend research investment at the Federal level: the fight to save DOD SCIRP and the broader CDMRP
-A call to rethink urgency, incentives and organization and coordination of siloed research toward a functional recovery endpoint.
KN01.01 - Belief, Connection, Resilience, and Time. What Recovery After Brain Injury Often Requires.
Scott Hamilton, Mr.
Managing Director
Brain Care Catalyst Foundation
KN01.02 - Utilizing the Under-rated Resource of Lived-experience as an ally for Funding, Informing Research Priorities, and Building a case for Urgency.
Jason Stoffer, Mr.
Advocacy Director
Unite 2 Fight Paralysis
(SESSION)P0A: Poster Group A
(SESSION)KN02 - Translating Tau to the Touchline: A Cells to Society Approach to TBI Research
KN02.01 - Translating Tau to the Touchline: A Cells to Society Approach to TBI Research
William Stewart, Professor
Consultant Neuropathologist
NHS GGC
(SESSION)DB01 - Data Blitz Mini Oral Presentations
DB01.11 - Retrospective Application of the 2023 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s Diagnostic Criteria for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Laura McGuigan, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
DB01.20 - Acid-Base Derangements Correlate with Unfavorable Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI ICU Cohort Study
David Caldwell, Dr.
Neurosurgery Resident
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco
DB01.01 - Persistent Post-concussion Symptoms Correspond to Lasting Axonal and Oligodendrocyte Damage in Repetitive mTBI
Helena Oft, Ms
MD PhD Student
University of Pittsburgh
DB01.02 - Neural Stem Cell Extracellular Vesicle Therapy Improves Cellular And Functional Recovery In A Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Porcine Model
Taylor LePage, Mrs
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Georgia- Regenerative Bioscience Center
DB01.03 - Unique Transcriptomic Profiles of Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Male Mice
Madison Wypyski, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
Virginia Tech
DB01.04 - Microbiome Driven Gut–brain Axis Dysfunction and Enteric Nervous System Remodeling in Chronic Abdominal Pain After Spinal Cord Injury
Sonali Choudhury, Mrs.
PhD candidate
University Of Kansas Medical Center
DB01.05 - Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Reduction of Acute Inflammation after Spinal Cord Injury
Pamela Shelby Prieto Del Rivero, Mrs.
Phd Student
Rush University
DB01.06 - Perivascular Connexin 43 and Fibronectin expression is a Novel Signature of Interface Astroglial Scarring in a Gyrencephalic Model of Multi-Modal Traumatic Brain Injury
Bradley Smith, Mr.
Graduate Research Associate
Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences
DB01.07 - Optogenetic Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Motor Rehabilitation in Rodent Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Models
Emma Moravec, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College Of Wisconsin
DB01.08 - Machine Learning Classification of Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Using Actigraphy-Derived Sleep Signatures
Andrea Lugo, Ms.
Doctoral Student
University of Colorado- Boulder
DB01.09 - Elucidation of Progressive Transcriptional Regulation within Serotonin Neurons Following MildTraumatic Brain Injury
Hana Schwierling, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Cincinnati
DB01.10 - Repetitive Head Impacts Drive Collagen IV Vascular Remodeling Before Tau Pathology in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
Kaelin Sbrocco, Ms.
Anatomy & Neurobiology PhD Student
Boston University
DB01.13 - Therapeutic Targeting of the Thrombin Receptor in Chronic SCI Promotes Functional Gains and Improvements in Lipid Metabolism
Kaleb Miles, Mr.
Graduate Student
Mayo Clinic
DB01.14 - Connecting the Spots: Applying the Void-Spot-Assay and Machine Learning To Evaluate Urinary Function and Behavior After Spinal Cord Injury
Ryan Dorrian, Dr.
Post Doctoral Researcher
Adelaide University
DB01.15 - Hunting for a Molecular Phenotype of Rod Microglia in TBI and Neurodegeneration
Karisa Louangprasert, Ms
Postbaccalaureate Research Laboratory Technician
University of Michigan - Michigan Medicine
DB01.16 - Traumatic Brain Injury During Pregnancy Disrupts Cortical Development, Evidenced by Differential Gene Expression and Cortical Layer Thickness in Exposed Offspring
Brenda E. Lujan, Mrs.
Research Assistant
University of Arizona
DB01.17 - Development of an Ultra-Selective DYRK1A Inhibitor as an Acute Therapeutic Strategy for Repeated Head Trauma
George Cottle, Mr
Research Associate
The Roskamp Institute
DB01.18 - Associations of Neurotrauma History with Parkinsonism and Lewy Body Dementia Clinical Features in Former NFL Players at Late Life
Mikaela Sullivan, Ms.
Clinical Research Assitant
Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Medical College Of Wisconsin
DB01.19 - Cracking the Code of Baroreflex Dysfunction After Spinal Cord Injury
Fateme Khodadadi-Mericle, Dr
Associate professor
University of Missouri - Columbia
(SESSION)S01 - Toward a Better Understanding of the Effects of mTBI on Women: A Neurobiological Perspective
Session Description:
This symposium aims to analyze emerging evidence for the effects of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) on women using a neurobiological framework. In the first presentation, we will describe and discuss the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis in relation to the effects of mTBI on women. In the second presentation, we will present and analyze emerging neurobiological (e.g., clinical/behavioral, blood, urine) findings from the ongoing longitudinal Women’s Multi-domain Evaluation of Neurobiological Health Concussion (WOMEN’S Health Concussion) study. We will highlight the short (90 days) and long-term (12 months) sexual, reproductive, and behavioral health outcomes from this study. In the third presentation, we will examine emerging findings from a new study of the role of pubertal development on sex differences in mTBI outcomes in adolescents. In the final presentation, we will discuss sex differences in outcomes associated with both sport-related concussion and repetitive head impacts including multidomain clinical/behavioral and neuroimaging outcomes. Throughout the symposium, we will emphasize how the information from these presentations can be leveraged to translate research into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes for women with mTBI. At the conclusion of this symposium, attendees will be able to apply the information to inform an evidence-based, multidomain assessment and targeted treatment approach to women with mTBI. Attendees will also have a better understanding of the neurobiological effects of mTBI on mechanistic pathways related to women’s health outcomes following mTBI.
S01 - Chair
Anthony Kontos, Dr.
Professor/vice Chair Of Clinical Research
University Of Pittsbugh School Of Medicine
S01.01 - Effects of mTBI on the Hypothalamic Pituitary Ovarian Axis: A Framework for Understanding Sex Differences
Julie Rios, Associate Professor
Division Director
Magee Women's Research Institute
S01.02 - Emerging Neurobiological Evidence for the Effects of mTBI on Women’s Reproductive and Sexual Health Outcomes from the WOMEN’S Health Concussion Study
Anthony Kontos, Dr.
Professor/vice Chair Of Clinical Research
University Of Pittsbugh School Of Medicine
S01.04 - Sex Differences in Sport-related Concussion and Repetitive Head Impact Outcomes
Jaclyn Caccese, Dr.
Associate Professor
The Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
(SESSION)S02 - From Talking About It to Doing It: The New CBI-M Framework for Characterization of Acute TBI
Session Description:
The proposed symposium will feature presentations on real-world application of the new CBI-M framework from the National Institutes of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) for characterization of acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). The CBI-M model is the resultant of a NINDS-sponsored, consensus-driven process that involved over 100 clinical, research, and lived experience experts in TBI. A chief aim of this initiative was to overcome limitations inherent to the conventional nomenclature of “mild, moderate, severe” TBI. The new multi-dimensional CBI-M framework incorporates four pillars: Clinical (full Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] and pupillary reactivity), Biomarkers (blood-based biomarkers), Imaging (pathoanatomical features), and Modifiers (patient, injury and environmental factors that influence clinical presentation and outcome). From the start, the NINDS effort emphasized strategies for implementation of the CBI-M to maximize its impact in clinical care and research trials in brain injury medicine. To that end, this session will focus on efforts toward advancing the CBI-M from concept to application. In addition to introducing the overall CBI-M framework, presentations will focus on validation, translation, and implementation of the CBI-M pillars in research and clinical settings. Challenges in implementation and future directions of the CBI-M will be highlighted. A moderated discussion period will encourage input from the audience of TBI professionals and individuals with lived experience on the CBI-M model and its implementation in brain injury research and care.
S02 - Chair
Michael Mccrea, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
S02.01 - In Case You Missed It: Overview of the new NINDS CBI-M Framework
Nsini Umoh, Dr.
NIH
S02.02 - It Can Be Done: The Case of Blood-Based Biomarkers
Jeffrey Bazarian, Dr.
Professor of Emergency Medicine & Neurology
University of Rochester
S02.03 - What Real-world Data Tell Us: Efforts Toward Clinical Validation of the CBI-M
Geoffrey Manley, Dr.
Professor
University of California San Francisco
S02.04 - In Case You Missed It: Overview of the new NINDS CBI-M Framework and Not Just an Afterthought: Important Role of the Modifiers Pillar
Michael Mccrea, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
S02.05 - The Path Forward: Important Considerations for Implementation of the CBI-M Framework in Clinical Practice and Research
Michael Mccrea, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
(SESSION)S03 - From Bench to Bedside: Understanding Successes and Failures of Clinical Trials in Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
Neurotrauma is a rich field with a robust network of basic science and clinical researchers. Despite large gains in our understanding of the mechanisms of traumatic brain (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) over the past few decades, this has largely not translated into novel therapeutics to improve patient care. Neurotrauma as a field is plagued by high-profile, negative trials. These trials have failed for a variety of reasons, including suboptimal trial design, challenges with identifying proper outcome measures, poor patient selection, and challenges translating bedside therapeutics into the clinical space. In this session, we will review the progress made in recent SCI and TBI clinical trials, as well as their methodological shortcomings. We will explore how researchers have brought promising bedside therapeutics into the clinical space, and the challenges they have faced. Additional talks will present a case example translating the basic science findings in spreading depolarizations into actionable clinical protocols to build out a clinical trial. We will look at brain tissue oxygenation, and how clinical trial structure led to one negative trial. Other, better designed trials offer promise. Lastly, we will review TRACK-NET, a clinical trials network for TBI. This network is the future for translating the basic and clinical findings into rapid turnover clinical trials to improve outcomes for our patients. Ultimately, while basic science research provides promising results, we must, as a field, improve our ability to translate these findings into clinical trials to improve outcomes in our patients.
S03 - Chair
Matthew Pease, Assoc. Professor
Neurosurgeon
IU
S03 - Chair
Laura Ngwenya, Dr.
Professor
University of Cincinnati
S03.01 - Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials in Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injury
Matthew Pease, Assoc. Professor
Neurosurgeon
IU
S03.02 - From Bench to Bedside - Bringing Spreading Depolarizations into the Clinical Space
Laura Ngwenya, Dr.
Professor
University of Cincinnati
S03.03 - From Bench to Bedside - Understanding how Brain Tissue Oxygenation Research Built Three, Large Scale Clinical Trials
Enyinna Nwachuku, Assistant Professor
Neurosurgeon
Penn State Health
(SESSION)S04 - Combinatorial Strategies in Spinal Cord Injury: Progress and Perspectives
Session Description:
Extensive preclinical research has shown that most effective therapies for spinal cord injury repair rely on combinatorial approaches that target multiple aspects of spinal cord injury pathology. These strategies often integrate exercise-based rehabilitation to optimize functional recovery and circuit remodeling. In contrast, most clinical trials in individuals with spinal cord injury have relied on single interventions, and when combinations are used, one typically involves rehabilitation. The goal of our session is to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress achieved through combinatorial approaches, highlight current translational challenges, and discuss strategies to advance clinical applications for improving patient outcomes. Michael Fehlings will discuss translational regenerative approaches for chronic cervical spinal cord injury using engineered neural stem cells. Dr. Jennifer Dulin will discuss how functional efficacy of neural stem cells transplantation is bolstered by activity-based rehabilitation in rodent models. Dr. Gordon Mitchell will discuss an emerging combinatorial strategy to recover respiratory and non-respiratory motor function in people with SCI: acute intermittent hypoxia (tAIH) followed by task specific training. Whereas there is a clear need for combined tAIH plus task specific training to improve locomotion, it is less clear with respiratory motor function. Dr. Monica Perez will discuss how combinatorial therapies targeting spinal plasticity, integrating neurostimulation, pharmacological agents, and exercise-based rehabilitation, to enhance recovery following chronic SCI. Each speaker will integrate the knowledge presented into a unifying discussion on how combinatorial approaches can be used to maximize functional restoration after SCI.
S04 - Chair
Monica Perez, Professor
Scientific Chair, Arms + Hands Abilitylab
Northwestern University
S04.01 - Translational Regenerative Approaches Using Engineered Neural Stem Cells
Michael Fehlings, Dr.
Professor
University of Toronto
S04.02 - Neural Stem Cells and Activity-based Rehabilitation
Jennifer Dulin, Dr.
Associate Professor
Texas A&M University
S04.03 - Combinatorial Strategies to Recover Respiratory and Non-respiratory Function
Gordon Mitchell, Professor
Center Director
University of Florida
S04.04 - Combinatorial Therapies Targeting Spinal Plasticity in Humans with SCI
Monica Perez, Professor
Scientific Chair, Arms + Hands Abilitylab
Northwestern University
(SESSION)S05 - Innovative Biomaterial-Based Approaches for Neurotrauma Repair
Session Description
Recent advances in biomaterial engineering are redefining therapeutic options for repairing the injured central nervous system. From nanotherapeutics to engineered cell-supportive matrices and cell-targeting systems, biomaterials are providing innovative solutions to overcome common barriers to neurological treatment, such as poor drug bioavailability, limited tissue integration, inefficient targeting, and off-target effects. Our session brings together leading researchers developing next-generation biomaterials and delivery systems that integrate biological, chemical, and physical design principles to promote tissue repair and functional recovery. We will explore the use of injectable biomaterials, fibrous-based platforms, modular multi-scale biomaterial and combinatorial therapies to repair the injured neural tissue. Collectively, these presentations will highlight how innovative biomaterial systems can modulate the cellular microenvironment, enhance therapeutic precision, and accelerate the clinical translation of regenerative technologies for patients with neurotrauma.
S05 - Chair
Martin Oudega, Dr.
Professor
Northwestern University
S05 - Chair
Susana R Cerqueira, Dr.
Research Assistant Professor
Clemson University
S05.01 - Modular Multi-scale Nanomaterials for Targeted Spinal Repair
Courtney Dumont, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Miami
S05.03 - Cell-Targeted Combinatorial Therapeutic Strategies for Neurotrauma Applications
Susana R Cerqueira, Dr.
Research Assistant Professor
Clemson University
S05.04 - Injectable Biomaterials for Enhancing Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury
Martin Oudega, Dr.
Professor
Northwestern University
S05.05 - BI-on-a-Chip: Linking Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurodegenerative Diseases Through Multimodal Investigations
Riyi Shi, Professor
Mari Hulman George Endowed Professor Of Applied Neuroscience
Purdue University
(SESSION)S06 - Cellular Crosstalk and Collective Contributions to Tissue Damage after Neurotrauma
Session Description
The goal of this session is to provide insight into the diverse function and cell-cell interactions of neurons, glia and immune cells after spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). It will address the question how central nervous system (CNS) resident and invading cell types interact and contribute to outcomes after neurotrauma.
This session will focus on cell types contributing to the inflammatory response and neuronal damage. The speakers will analyze the interaction of innate and adaptive immune cells after TBI, discuss neuron-intrinsic immune mechanisms, present data on pericyte function in neurotrauma-responses and scrutinize the distinct properties of fibroblasts after CNS injury.
This seminar will provide a big-picture overview into the extent of cellular reactivity and interactions in neurotrauma.
S06 - Chair
Antje Kroner, Dr.
Associate Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
S06 - Chair
Jae Lee, Dr.
Professor
University of Miami, Department of Neurological Surgery
S06.01 - Dissecting the role of CD8+ T cell and Microglial cross talk in the aged TBI rain
Josh Morganti, Dr.
Associate Professor
University Of Kentucky
S06.02 - Neuron-immune Signaling After Spinal cord Injury
Antje Kroner, Dr.
Associate Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
S06.03 - Pericyte Dysfunction and Vascular Alterations in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
Preeja Chandran, Dr
Postdoctoral fellow
University of Louisville
S06.04 - Fibroblast Heterogeneity and Modulation After CNS Injury
Jae Lee, Dr.
Professor
University of Miami, Department of Neurological Surgery
(SESSION)Monday - Exhibition and Poster Reception - Poster Group A (POA)
Botulinum-Toxin Enhanced Expression of an Intramuscularly Injected Optogenetic AAV Vector
Logan Read, Mr.
Graduate Student
Medical College Of Wisconsin
A New Classification for Acute, Blunt, Traumatic Clivus Fractures Based on the Mechanism of Injury
Nishani Hewage, Dr.
Trauma Surgeon
Valleywise Health Medical Center
A Novel Model of Post-Traumatic Epilepsy in a Neuroplasticity-Susceptible Rat Strain
Robert Kotloski, Dr
physician
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
A Protective Helmet-Like Interface Allows for Higher Energy Impacts in the CHIMERA Traumatic Brain Injury Model in Laboratory Rats.
Alexia Hyde, Ms
Senior Research Associate
Henry Jackson Foundation
AI-Aided Triage for GSWH: Validating an Interpretable HCT-Based Mortality Model
Jordan Fuhrman, Dr.
Research Scientist
University Of Chicago
AT 035,a NOP Receptor Partial Agonist, Enhances Recovery After Repeated Closed Head Traumatic Brain Injury With and Without Prior Stress
Rahat Ullah, Dr
Postdoc Research Fellow
The University of Oklahoma
Acid-Base Derangements Correlate with Unfavorable Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI ICU Cohort Study
David Caldwell, Dr.
Neurosurgery Resident
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco
Acute CT Findings and Their Relation to Traumatic Axonal Injury on Early MRI in a Large Prospective Norwegian Cohort of Patients With Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Halvor Solheim, Mr.
Medical student
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Assessing First Responder Perceptions About Gunshot Wounds to the Head (GSWH)
Deborah Huang, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurology
University of Chicago
Assessing Outcomes of an Institutional Protocol for Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Civilian Cranial Gunshot Wounds
Natalie Ivey, Dr.
PGY-4
University Of Cincinnati Medical Center
Associations of Neurotrauma History with Parkinsonism and Lewy Body Dementia Clinical Features in Former NFL Players at Late Life
Mikaela Sullivan, Ms.
Clinical Research Assitant
Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Medical College Of Wisconsin
Autonomic Reflex–Induced NRF2 Activation Prevents Secondary Injury in Traumatic Brain Injury
Chunyan Li, Associate Professor
Associate Professor
The Feinstein Institutes For Medical Research
Axon Fiber Orientation Predicts Region-Specific Axonal Vulnerability in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Mechanistic Basis for Selective White Matter Damage
Haojie Mao, Dr.
Associate Professor
Western University
Baroreflex Sensitivity and Dynamic Cerebral Autoregulation after Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: Disentangling Brain-Specific and Systemic Trauma Effects
Shotaro Saito, Dr.
Physician
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Basic Needs Screening for Emergency Department Neurotrauma Patients
Mya Suneja, Ms.
Undergrad/Trainee
Medical College Of Wisconsin
Bedside Electromagnetic Neuronavigation to Advance Precision and Safety for Cranial Access Procedures: Proof-of Principle Study in Neurotrauma and Neurocritical Care
John Yue, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
University Of California, San Francisco
Blast-Primed CD3+ T Cells Drive Chronic Retinal Ganglion Cell Dysfunction and Loss After Adoptive Transfer
Matthew Harper, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Iowa
Blood-Brain-Barrier Signaling Biomarkers Demonstrate Distinct Temporal, Severity, and Outcome Patterns in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury.
Sarah Svirsky, Dr.
Postdoctoral Scholar
University Of Pittsburgh
Brain Age and Its Association With Concussion History, Head Impact Exposure, and Clinical Measures Across Three Cohorts of American Football Players Spanning Adolescence to Early Midlife
Mitchell Andersson, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
Medical College Of Wisconsin
Brain Injury Blood Biomarker Levels Remain Consistent Across Collection and Processing Variations in Healthy Controls
Ava Puccio, Dr.
Co-director Neurotrauma Cliniacl Trials Center
University Of Pittsburgh, Department Of Neurosurgery
Brain and Spine Injuries During Rollover Crashes: Evaluating the Effects of the Updated FMVSS 216a Standard
Haojie Mao, Dr.
Associate Professor
Western University
Building Partnerships to Optimize Traumatic Brain Injury Care: A Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Approach to Health System Improvement
Temitayo Okusanya, Ms.,
Doctoral Candidate
Medical College of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, WI
CNS-Injury Proteins, Repetitive Head Impact Exposure, and Prior Concussion in Collegiate Athletes 5-10 Years Post-Career: A CARE Consortium Preliminary Analysis
Timothy Meier, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
Cellular Responses After Combined Treatment for Repetitive Low-Level Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injuries
Bruce Citron, Dr.
Geneticist
Va New Jersey Health Care System
Cerebral Perfusion, Oxygenation, and Metabolism During Progressive Intracranial Pressure Elevation in Piglets
Farah Kamar, Ms.
MD/PhD Student
Western University
Characterizing Persistent Neurotological Deficits Following Blast Exposure
Suhrud Rajguru, Dr.
Professor
University Of Miami
Characterizing the Role of Nursing Staff in the Implementation of a Remote Monitoring Tool for Adults Acutely Recovering from Concussion
Andrea Burnette, Mrs
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Chronic Myoclonic Seizure Burden Following Repetitive Blast Exposure and Social Isolation
Sushant Prajapati, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Kentucky
Complement-Mediated Neuroimmune Activation Drives Chronic Cognitive Decline After Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Khalil Mallah, Dr.
Assistant Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
Concussion Symptoms Associated with Same-Day Head Impact Exposure in Collegiate Rugby Players
Lauren Duma, Ms.
Graduate Student
Virginia Tech
Connecting the Spots: Applying the Void-Spot-Assay and Machine Learning To Evaluate Urinary Function and Behavior After Spinal Cord Injury
Ryan Dorrian, Dr.
Post Doctoral Researcher
Adelaide University
Continuous, Unsupervised, Time-Lapse Miniscope Imaging Captures Microglial Pathodynamics After Closed-Head Injury
Daniel Griffiths, Mr.
Research Area Specialist
Michigan Medicine
Cortical Spreading Depolarizations Amplify Epileptic Spikes in Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury
Malcolm Udeozor, Mr.
MD/PhD Student
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cortical Spreading Depolarizations Increase Aquaporin-4 Expression in a Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury
Jorge Robles Solivan, Mr.
Medical Student
University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine
Cracking the Code of Baroreflex Dysfunction After Spinal Cord Injury
Fateme Khodadadi-Mericle, Dr
Associate professor
University of Missouri - Columbia
DNA Methylation Changes in Response to Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Laura Zima, Dr.
NSGY Resident
UT Houston
Data Field Matching in Traumatic Brain Injury Studies Using Micro Large Language Models
Patrick Belton, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
University of Wisconsin - Madison
De-Novo Post-Injury Substance Use Is Associated with Poorer 12-Month Multidimensional Outcomes After GCS 13-15 Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study
John Yue, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
University Of California, San Francisco
Detection of Cortical Spreading Depolarizations in Traumatic Brain Injury Using Acoustic-Inspired Spectral Features in Electrocorticography
Dingyi Pei, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Development and Implementation of a Standardized Framework for the Clinical Diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury in Adults: a TRACK-TBI Study
Christine Gotthardt, Ms.
Clinical Research Supervisor
University of California, San Francisco
Development of an AI-Driven Tool to Characterize Vascular-Related Glial Changes Following Repeated Mild Blast Traumatic Brain Injury
Jaycie Gard, Ms.
Student
University Of Kentucky
Development of an Ultra-Selective DYRK1A Inhibitor as an Acute Therapeutic Strategy for Repeated Head Trauma
George Cottle, Mr
Research Associate
The Roskamp Institute
Differential Neuropathology in Female versus Male Brain Donors with Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury
L. Kim Chung, Dr
Neuropathology Fellow
University Of Washington
Diffusion Abnormalities One Year After Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Tracey Wick, Mr.
Research Analyst
Mind Research Network
Dose-Dependent Brain Pathology Following Single And Repeated Blast Exposure in Rats
Linda Karlsson, Ms
Phd Student
Karolinska Institutet
Dynamics of the Pupillary Light Reflex in Collegiate Athletes After Acute Concussion
Lauren Rooks, Mrs.
PhD Student
Indiana University
Early Field Deployment of the Abbott i-STAT Alinity TBI Whole-Blood Test in MotoAmerica
Jeffrey Shipley, Dr.
Emergency Medicine Resident
The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
Early Predictors of Long-Term Outcomes in Pediatric “Mild” Traumatic Brain Injury: A Machine Learning Approach
Upasana Nathaniel, Dr
Program Manager
Mind Research Network
Effect of Daily Television and Sleep with Concussion History on Academic Grades: A Youth Risk Behavior Survey Study from 2017-to-2021
Shawn Eagle, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Pittsburgh
Effects of Peripheral Injury and Surgery on Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes in Rats
Zachary Campbell, Mr
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Effects of the Probiotic Limosilactobacillus reuteri on Behavioral Outcomes Following Frontal TBI in Rats
Alexandra Dorinsky, Ms.
Research Technician
The Ohio State University
Electrode Density Determines Detection Sensitivity for Cortical Spreading Depolarizations in Acute Brain Injury
Dingyi Pei, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Elucidation of Progressive Transcriptional Regulation within Serotonin Neurons Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Hana Schwierling, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Cincinnati
Emergency Department Clinician Perspectives on Giving Effective Discharge Education for Concussion from the EDucate Study
Courtney Barry, Dr
Clinical Psychologist
Medical College of Wisconsin
Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Reduction of Acute Inflammation after Spinal Cord Injury
Pamela Shelby Prieto Del Rivero, Mrs.
Phd Student
Rush University
Epidemiology of All-Terrain Vehicle Accidents in Children Younger Than 11 Years Old Seen at a Trauma Center in West Texas.
Nicolas Fandrich, Mr.
Division Chief, PCCM
Texas Tech Hsc
Evoked Compound Action Potentials as a Marker of Motor Activity During Spinal Cord Stimulation in Spinal Cord Injury
Disa Sullivan, Ms
Phd Candidate
University Of Minnesota
External Ventricular Drain Versus Intraparenchymal Pressure Monitor in Traumatic Brain Injury: An Updated Meta-analysis
Monique Mitchell, Dr.
Research Fellow
University of New England
Functional, Sensorimotor, and Cognitive Outcomes Following Unilateral MCAO in Rats.
Johana Bastidas, Dr
Principle Scientist, Neuro Pharmacology
Psychogenics, Inc
GFAP, NfL, Tau and Inflammatory Cytokines Predict Glascow Outcome Score Extended at Discharge in Moderate to Severe TBI Patients
John Alice, Mr.
Student
Johns Hopkins University
Geriatric TBI Admission Institutional Practice Patterns: A TRACK-TBI Survey Study
Neel Jani, Dr.
Resident Physician
University Of Wisconsin
Glutathione Treatment and the Looming and Visual Cliff Tests as Functional Assessments of Visual Performance in Mice Following Closed Head Impact Model of Engineered Rotational Acceleration (CHIMERA) Brain Injury
Elizabeth McCarthy, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Henry Jackson Foundation
Headache Burden in Former Professional Football Players: Associations With Neurotrauma Exposure and Psychological Outcomes: An NFL-LONG Study
Samantha DeVillers, Ms.
Medical Student
Medical College Of Wisconsin
Hunting for a Molecular Phenotype of Rod Microglia in TBI and Neurodegeneration
Karisa Louangprasert, Ms
Postbaccalaureate Research Laboratory Technician
University of Michigan - Michigan Medicine
IL-1β-Containing Microglial Extracellular Vesicles Mediate Brain-Heart Communication After Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Limin Wu, Dr
Instructor
Mgh
Identifying the Threshold from Mild to Moderate Traumatic Brain Injuries in Rats Using a Staircase Procedure
Cody Hubbard, Mr.
Graduate Student
Indiana University
Implementation of a Microglial Replacement Procedure in a Rat Model of Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury
Claire Langle, Mrs
PhD Student
French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute
Inhibition of ADAM17 and Cerebrovascular Reactivity Following Exposure to Repetitive Low-Level Blast
Kapinga Ngalula, Dr.
Scientist
Nmrc/hjf
Inhibition of TACE Following Repetitive Low-Level Blast Exposure Impacts Cytokine Expression and Neurodegeneration
Rachel Barkey, Dr.
Scientist
Henry Jackson Foundation
Inhibition of the RNA Regulator HuR potently mitigates TBI by suppressing post-injury neuroinflammation
Mohammed Amir Husain, Dr.
Postdoc
University Of Alabama At Birmingham
Insulin Treatment Alters Protein Expression and Actigraphy Levels after TBI
Sharon Juliano, Dr.
Professor of Neuroscience
USUHS
Intranasal Administration of Retinoic Acid Nanoparticles Improves Behavioral Outcomes and Brain Pathology in Mice with Repetitive Mild TBI
Michael Gower, Dr.
Research Scientist
Columbia VA Medical Center
Investigating Cellular Senescence in Serotonergic Pain Modulation Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Jacob Exline, Mr.
PhD Candidate
Loyola University Chicago
Lesion Topography Shapes the Spatial Clustering and Propagation of Cortical Spreading Depolarizations After Acute Brain Injury
Dingyi Pei, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Leveraging Patient Perspectives to Improve Social Needs Screening After Traumatic Injury: A Qualitative Study
Kali Palen, Mrs.
Clinical Research Assistant III
Medical College of WI
Long-Term Effects of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury on Glial Activation and Blood–Brain Barrier Integrity
Esther Drinkard, Mrs.
Laboratory Technician
University of Kentucky
Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Reveals Neuroprotective Effects of Combined Hydrogen-Enriched Water and Minocycline Therapy After Traumatic Brain Injury
Eric Liu, Mr.
Research Intern
Ward Melville High School; Stony Brook University
Longitudinal Pain Intensity and Interference Symptomatology in Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study Across 12-Months Post-Injury
Christine Gotthardt, Ms.
Clinical Research Supervisor
University of California, San Francisco
Low Pressure Hydrocephalus After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case series and Literature Review
Jorge Robles Solivan, Mr.
Medical Student
University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine
Machine Learning Classification of Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Using Actigraphy-Derived Sleep Signatures
Andrea Lugo, Ms.
Doctoral Student
University of Colorado- Boulder
Metabolic Solution Compositions With Neuroprotective, Antiseizure, and Cardioprotective Properties: Prospects for Treatment of TBI and Its Long-Term Consequences
Thomas Sutula, Dr.
Emeritus
Dept. of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Method-Driven Variance in Gait Coordination and Accuracy Measurements 24 Hours After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Laura Tucker, Ms.
Professor & Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
Microbiome Driven Gut–brain Axis Dysfunction and Enteric Nervous System Remodeling in Chronic Abdominal Pain After Spinal Cord Injury
Sonali Choudhury, Mrs.
PhD candidate
University Of Kansas Medical Center
Microglia Cluster Into Multicellular Nodules in White Matter Tracts Following a Closed-Head Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury in Pigs
Caela C. Long, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Pennsylvania
Microtransport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury in New York City: Injury Patterns and Admission Predictors
Sean Inzerillo, Mr.
Medical Student
SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
Mid-life Social Relationships, TBI, and Dementia Risk
Bernadette D'Alonzo, Dr
NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow
University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine
Moderating Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Traumatic Brain Injury and Depression: A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Study
Shawn Eagle, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Pittsburgh
Neural Stem Cell Extracellular Vesicle Therapy Improves Cellular And Functional Recovery In A Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Porcine Model
Taylor LePage, Mrs
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Georgia- Regenerative Bioscience Center
Neuroimmune Mechanisms of Male Infertility Following Spinal Cord Injury
Akram Esfandani, Dr.
Phd Student
Texas A&M University
Neuroinflammatory and Neurovascular Injury Blood Biomarkers Associated With Hyperglycemia in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Andres Nunez, Mr.
Research Assistant
TBI Research Initiative
Neuronal Circular RNA: A New Class of Non-coding RNAs Regulating Repair After TBI
Francesco Roselli, Professor, Dr.
Prof. Dr.
Ulm University
Neuronal TLR4 Signaling Compromises Dentate Granule Cell Physiology After Brain Injury by Upregulating MMP-9 Activity
Deepak Subramanian, Dr
Asst. Professional Researcher
University Of California - Riverside
Neuronal-Induced Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improves Functional Recovery of Acute Spinal Cord Injury through Attenuating Neurotoxic Astrocyte Activation
Choong Hyo Kim, Dr
MD, PhD
Kangwon National University
Novel Haloalkylated Human 18 kDa Translocator Protein Tracers for High-Accuracy Traumatic Brain Injury Diagnostics
Dhruv Subramanian, Mr.
Student researcher
The Quarry Lane School
Observable Signs of Concussion in Professional Slap Fighting Using Established Video Review Protocols for Professional Sports
Corey Stewart, Mr.
Graduate Student Research Assistant
University Of Michigan
Optogenetic Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Motor Rehabilitation in Rodent Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Models
Emma Moravec, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College Of Wisconsin
Osmotic Transport Device Reduces Lesion Volume in a Rat Model of Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury
Victor Rodgers, Dr.
Professor
University of California
PDE2A Inhibition as a Therapeutic Strategy for Traumatic Brain Injury.
John Katana, Mr.
Research Associate
The Roskamp Institute, Inc.
PDGFRα-mTOR Signaling pathway Drives Reactive Astrocyte Proliferation and Supports Synaptic Remodeling in the Hippocampus After Traumatic Brain Injury
Lilesh Pradhan, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Indiana University School of Medicine
Patterns of Spinal Fusion Utilization Following Vertebral Fractures Without Spinal Cord Injury: Insights From the National Trauma Data Bank
Jarair Tahsin, Mr.
Medical Student
Suny Downstate Health Sciences University
Persistent Cerebellar Pathology in a Gyrencephalic Animal Following Combination Blast-CHIMERA TBI
Derrick Shaughnessy, Dr
Postdoctoral Fellow
Uniformed Services University, Health Sciences
Persistent Post-concussion Symptoms Correspond to Lasting Axonal and Oligodendrocyte Damage in Repetitive mTBI
Helena Oft, Ms
MD PhD Student
University of Pittsburgh
Phosphorylated Tau is Selectively Increased Around Brain Contusion
Jenny Jang, Ms.
Research Scientist
University of Washington
Physiology-Guided Programming of Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulation for Functional Restoration After Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
Tara Nash, Mrs.
Research Clinician
HHRI
Poor Local Feedback Sensitivity Drives Decision-Making Impairments After Frontal TBI in Rats
Fikir Arega, Ms.
Research Associate
The Ohio State University
Pregnancy Specific Glycoprotein 1 (PSG1) Overexpression Primes Homeostatic Restoration and Modulates Sex-Specific Microglial Activation Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Erica Joo, Ms.
Research Assistant I
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)
Pregnancy Specific Glycoprotein 1 (PSG1) Overexpression Skews Peripheral Immune Cells Towards Anti-Inflammatory Subpopulations Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Enya Caballero, Ms.
Research Assistant 1
USUHS
Rehabilitation Differentially Restores Reaching Kinematics Across Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Models
Logan Friedrich, Mr.
Graduate Student
Marquette University
Repeat Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s Disease: Shared Calcium Dysregulation and Downstream Consequences in Mouse Models
Elise Webber, Ms.
Graduate Student
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Repetitive Head Impact Exposure is Associated with a Distinct Pattern of White Matter Hyperintensities among Athletes in Early Adulthood.
Benjamin Brett, Dr.
Research Faculty/clinical Neuropsychologist
Medical College of Wisconsin
Repetitive Head Impacts Drive Collagen IV Vascular Remodeling Before Tau Pathology in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
Kaelin Sbrocco, Ms.
Anatomy & Neurobiology PhD Student
Boston University
Retrospective Application of the 2023 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s Diagnostic Criteria for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Laura McGuigan, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Risk of Spinal Canal Neoplasm after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Propensity-Matched Cohort and Case-Control Study
Philip Ostrov, Dr.
Neurosurgery Resident
University of Louisville
Rugby Head Impact Exposure Predicts Microstructural Alterations in the Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus
Jessica Towns, Ms
PhD Candidate
Stanford University
Safety and Utility of Increased Spatial Sampling With Low-Profile Cylindrical Electrodes for Intracranial Electrophysiology in Severe Brain Injury
David Caldwell, Dr.
Neurosurgery Resident
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco
Serum Biomarker Diagnostic and Prognostic Efficacy in Human Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Patients
Joshua Moses, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Kentucky
Sex Chromosomes as Novel Drivers of T-Cell Phenotypes and Locomotor Recovery After SCI
Reena Kumari, Dr.
Scientist
University of Kentucky
Sildenafil Improves Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Reduces Anxiety-Like Behavior Following Repeated Mild Blast Traumatic Brain Injury
Madison Kilgore, Ms.
Graduate Research Assisstant
University of Kentucky
Sleep Fragmentation Exacerbates Brain-Lung Axis Dysfunction After TBI in AD-Predisposed Mice
Nadine Kerr, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Miami Miller School of Medicie
Sleep Quality Trajectory and Working Memory in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Comparison by Baseline PSQI Severity
Yung-Hsiao Chiang, Dr.
Superintendent
Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University
Synthetic PreImplantation Factor Protected Against Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury
Peethambaran Arun, Dr
Research Biologist
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Targeted Reconstruction of Pro-regenerative Gene Expression Programs in Adult Corticospinal Tract Neurons.
Syed Aasish Roshan, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Marquette University
Targeting Peripheral T-cell Infiltration to Mitigate Long-Term Neurobehavioral Impairment in Pediatric Repetitive Mild TBI
Kirill Shumilov Bartenev, Dr
Senior Postdoctorall Fellow
Virginia Commonwealth University
Tau Isoform Expression Drives Disease Outcomes Following a Single Closed Head Injury
Riley Morrone, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
The Effect Of Concussion And Sport Participation On Self-Reported Measures Of Brain Health: A CARE Consortium Study
Steven Broglio, Dr
Director and Assoc Dean
Michigan Concussion Center
The Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury on the Chirality and Interactions of Neurons and Microglia During the Acute Phase Post-injury
Jie Fan, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Michigan, Dearborn
The Relationship Between Blood-Based Biomarkers and Alterations in Consciousness Following a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Mary Simons, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow In Pediatric Neuropsychology
Medical College Of Wisconsin
The Role of Blast-induced Hearing Loss in Driving Alzheimer's-Related Neuropathology
Suhrud Rajguru, Dr.
Professor
University Of Miami
Therapeutic Targeting of the Thrombin Receptor in Chronic SCI Promotes Functional Gains and Improvements in Lipid Metabolism
Kaleb Miles, Mr.
Graduate Student
Mayo Clinic
Three-Dimensional Morphometric Analysis of Brain Capillary Mitochondria Following Repeated Mild Blast Traumatic Brain Injury
Cortney Laye, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Kentucky
Timing of Decompressive Craniectomy and Outcomes in Pediatric Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Monique Mitchell, Dr.
Research Fellow
University of New England
Transfer times to Tertiary Admission in Children with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Implications for Six Hour Observation Guidelines
Yasmin Moghaddam, Ms.
Phd Candidate
University of California Davis
Traumatic Brain Injury Biomarkers and Deficits Associated with Early Extracranial Surgery: A TRACK-TBI Study
Christopher Roberts, Dr.
Staff Physician
Clement J. Zablocki VAMC
Traumatic Brain Injury During Pregnancy Disrupts Cortical Development, Evidenced by Differential Gene Expression and Cortical Layer Thickness in Exposed Offspring
Brenda E. Lujan, Mrs.
Research Assistant
University of Arizona
Traumatic Brain Injury Elicits Multisystem Responses in Hemoglobinopathy: A Bulk RNA-Sequencing Analysis in Berkeley Sickle Cell Mice
Ektha Parchuri, Ms.
Medical Student
University Of Pittsburgh
Ultrastructural Damage to the Optic Nerve and Retina Induced by a Single High-Intensity Blast Exposure in Rats
Usmah Kawoos, Dr
Scientific Director
Henry Jackson Foundation
Unique Transcriptomic Profiles of Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Male Mice
Madison Wypyski, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
Virginia Tech
Using Implementation Science to Improve Discharge Education for Concussion in Emergency Departments: Health System Outcomes from the EDucate Study
Lindsay Nelson, Professor
Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
Vascular Reductions at 60 Days Post Cortical Contusion Injury (CCI) Elicits Sex Associated Differences in BBB Leakage .
Sophia Galleguillos, Mrs.
Master's Student
University Of California, Riverside
Vepoloxamer Preserves Cerebral Microvascular Integrity and Blood Flow After Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats
Yanlu Zhang, Dr.
Assistant Scientist
Henry Ford Health
When Endocrine and Cognitive Sequelae Overlap: Differentiating Hypopituitarism from Postconcussional Syndrome After Traumatic Brain Injury
Monique Mitchell, Dr.
Research Fellow
University of New England
When Protocols Collide: Reconciling Damage Control Resuscitation and Cerebral Perfusion Pressure Targets in Polytrauma Patients with Concurrent Traumatic Brain Injury
Wan Lin Chen, Dr.
Dr.
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital
White Matter Microstructural Characteristics Associated with Persistent Symptoms, Cognitive Impairment and Disability after Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study
Lanya Tianhao Cai, Dr.
Associate Specialist
University of California San Francisco
Whole-Blood Point-of-Care Biomarkers and Head Computerized Tomography Use among Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: A POINT-mTBI Study
Leila Etemad, Ms.
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Why Traumatic Brain Injury Goes Undiagnosed: Diagnostic Patterns Based on Demographics, Injury Factors, and Clinical Presentation Across Seven Emergency Departments
Madeline Furie, Mx
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Medical College of Wisconsin
Assessing Kinematic Fidelity of Head Movement During a Rotational Acceleration Traumatic Brain Injury in Pigs
Susan Shin, Ms.
Student
University of Pennsylvania
Newfound Axonal Pathology Phenotypes in Blast Traumatic Brain Injury
Hailong Song, Dr.
Instructor of Neurosurgery
University of Pennsylvania
(SESSION)NNS Business Breakfast Meeting
(SESSION)KN03 - From Lesion to System: Prioritizing Autonomic Circuit Repair in Spinal Cord Injury Management
From Lesion to System: Prioritizing Autonomic Circuit Repair in Spinal Cord Injury Management
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) at or above T6 causes dysautonomia, a syndrome of organ pathophysiology that significantly impairs quality of life. While research often prioritizes locomotor recovery, people with SCI frequently rank autonomic complications as a higher priority. This lecture explores how "lesion-remote" spinal remodeling—driven by spinal interneurons and microglia—causes pathological circuit assembly. These maladaptive circuits drive immune dysfunction across diverse organs and likely underlie well known clinical complications (e.g., immune dysfunction, pneumonia, impaired wound healing) and prognostic indicators (high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, dysbiosis) of poor outcome after SCI. We will discuss how targeting these maladaptive circuits, using experimental tools that may serve as indicators for the successful implementation of bioelectric medicine in humans or currently available drugs, might help prevent or mitigate the consequences of these systemic comorbidities.
KN03.01 - From Lesion to System: Prioritizing Autonomic Circuit Repair in Spinal Cord Injury Management
Phillip Popovich, Dr.
Professor And Chair
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
(SESSION)POB - Poster Group B
(SESSION)PL01 - Award Winners Session
(SESSION)Lunch with Neurotrauma Survivors
(SESSION)NIH Funding Opportunities
(SESSION)PL02: Latent Neurotropic Pathogens as Modifiers of Brain Injury Pathophysiology and Recovery
Session Description:
The pathophysiology of TBI is complex, and a constellation of biological and environmental influences are involved in response to and recovery from injury. There is growing appreciation that neurotropic pathogens that result in lifelong infections, such as herpesviruses and the single-cell parasite toxoplasma gondii, are associated with psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Yet, a potential role of these common pathogens in the effects of and recovery from TBI have historically not been considered.
This session will present novel research investigating the extent to which latent neurotropic pathogens moderate pathophysiology and recovery of TBI. This session will span cutting edge preclinical and cross-disciplinary clinical research, consistent with the NNS 2026 theme and call for creative thinking and innovation.
Dr. Dana Cairns will present data demonstrating that repetitive mild injuries reactivate herpes simplex virus type 1, which in turn promotes an Alzheimer’s Disease-associated pathological phenotype in a three-dimensional in vitro brain tissue model.
Dr. Timothy Meier will present novel findings suggesting a role for cytomegalovirus seropositivity in moderating the effects of concussion on clinical measures, blood-based biomarkers, and neuroimaging metrics in a cohort of collegiate athletes and military service academy members.
Dr. Sandy Shultz will present preclinical results showing that pre-existing infection of the parasite toxoplasma gondii exacerbates the neuropathophysiological effects and associated functional deficits in a mouse model of TBI.
Finally, Dr. Gershon Spitz will present results from chronic TBI survivors (≥10 years post-injury) showing that those infected with toxoplasma gondii have worse MRI and psychiatric outcomes compared to uninfected counterparts.
PL02 - Chair
Timothy Meier, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
PL02 - Chiar
Sandy Shultz, Professor
Laboratory Head
Monash University/University of Victoria
PL02.01 - Exploring the role of Herpesviruses and Concussive Injury in Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease Using a 3D Human Brain Tissue Model
Dana Cairns, Dr.
Research Associate
Tufts University
PL02.02 - Concussion goes Viral: The Moderating role of Cytomegalovirus on Clinical, Blood, and MRI Outcomes in the CARE Consortium
Timothy Meier, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
PL02.03 - Catastrophic Consequences: Infection of the Feline Parasite Toxoplasma Gondii Worsens TBI Outcomes in Mice
Sandy Shultz, Professor
Laboratory Head
Monash University/University of Victoria
PL02.04 - Toxoplasma Gondii Infection Modifies Chronic Recovery in TBI Survivors
Gershon Spitz, Dr.
Senior Research Fellow
Monash University
(SESSION)S07 - From Damage to Defense: The Paradox of the Secondary Injury Cascade After Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
After a spinal cord injury (SCI), the initial mechanical trauma is only the beginning of the damage. What follows is a complex secondary injury cascade that involves a series of biochemical and cellular processes that unfold over minutes to weeks after the primary insult. This cascade includes ischemia, inflammation, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis, all of which contribute to progressive tissue degeneration and neuronal loss beyond the original injury site. Paradoxically, some of these same mechanisms—such as inflammation and glial activation—also play roles in tissue repair and neuroprotection, highlighting the dual nature of the secondary response. Understanding this delicate balance between destructive and reparative processes is critical for developing therapies that can minimize damage while promoting recovery after SCI. This session aims to explore the secondary response after SCI through a collaborative lens. A neurosurgeon will discuss the secondary response from a clinical perspective, while basic scientists will examine the roles of inflammation, macrophage/microglia activation states, and the astrocytic border. Finally, we will highlight some current drug delivery platforms being developed to mitigate secondary damage after SCI.
S07 - Chair
Daniel Hellenbrand, Dr.
Scientist II
Daniel Hellenbrand
S07.01 - Clinical Ramifications of Spinal Cord Injuries – Trauma and Beyond
Joshua Medow, Professor
Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Biomedical Engineering
Medical College of Wisconsin / Froedtert Health
S07.02 - The Macrophage Contribution to Secondary Injury: Cell Origin and Heterogeneity in Spinal Cord Injury Pathophysiology
John Gensel, Professor
Professor, Department of Physiology
University Of Kentucky
S07.03 - Infections After SCI: An Additional Insult to Locomotor Recovery
Angela Filous, Dr.
Assistant Professor
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Department of Neurology; Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, The Oh
S07.04 - Targeted Therapeutics to Mitigate Secondary Damage After Spinal Cord Injury
Daniel Hellenbrand, Dr.
Scientist II
Daniel Hellenbrand
(SESSION)S08 - Translational Swine Models Advancing Neurotrauma Research
Session Description:
Neurotrauma, both TBI and SCI, impact millions of people annually, leading to sensory, cognitive, pathological, and molecular morbidities. While the field has learned much about TBI and SCI using rodent models, there are still no efficacious therapies that have translated to clinical use. To address this translational “valley of death”, this session will focus on the development and expansion of higher order swine models of neurotrauma to begin filling this translational void. The swine has similar cytoarchitecture, consistent metabolic rates, compatible inflammatory systems, and analogous glial ratios to humans making swine an excellent translational model. In this session Dr. Candace Floyd will discuss her work validating neuropathic pain outcomes after SCI in swine. Dr. Michael Grovola will then discuss his work investigating proteomics, transcriptomics, and spatial characterizations of neural tissue in a swine model of TBI. Dr. Cole Vonder Haar will discuss his work developing and validating a touchscreen system for evaluating swine motor and cognitive function for neurotrauma research. Finally, Dr. Audrey Lafrenaye will discuss her work evaluating somatosensory and cognitive changes as well as microglial process convergence associated with axonal injury in a swine model of central fluid percussion injury. Together these talks will highlight the breakthroughs being made utilizing translational swine models of neurotrauma.
S08 - Chair
D. Kacy Cullen, Professor
Professor of Neurosurgery & Bioengineering
University of Pennsylvania
S08.01 - Validation of Neuropathic Pain Outcomes After Spinal Cord Injury Using a Pig Model
Candace Floyd, Dr.
Professor
Emory University, VA Atlanta Health Care
S08.02 - Multi-omics and Spatial Biology Approaches to Characterize Pig Neural Tissue
Michael Grovola, Dr.
Senior Scientist
University of Pennsylvania
S08.03 - A 20-Minute Tour: Six Swine Models — Asymptomatic to Severe, Photons to Seizures
Beth Costine-Bartell, Dr.
Assistant Professor
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
S08.04 - Behavioral and Microglial Changes Following Diffuse Swine TBI
Audrey Lafrenaye, Dr.
Associate Professor
VCU
(SESSION)S09 - Robert Grossman Symposium on Personalized Approaches to Managing Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
We are only beginning to grasp the profound heterogeneity of spinal cord injury (SCI) recovery. SCI is a dynamic, evolving network of interrelated pathological processes. Its complexity—both biological and clinical—demands a shift from “one-size-fits-all” approaches to precision-guided therapies. Identifying robust biomarkers will be essential for stratifying patients into responder subgroups and tailoring individualized treatments. A deeper understanding of the anatomical basis of functional variability will further inform personalized strategies. The growing success of neuromodulation techniques—such as epidural and percutaneous stimulation —highlights the critical importance of individualized treatment planning. This symposium will explore the multifaceted heterogeneity of SCI pathophysiology and the central role of personalized care in optimizing recovery.
NASS (North American Spine Society) is a global multidisciplinary organization dedicated to fostering the highest quality evidence-based spine care. The Spinal Cord Injury Section at NASS is devoted to the scientific advancements for SCI and spine trauma management through research, teaching and collaborations.
NACTN (North American Clinical Trials Network) is a collection of academic and military centers with a mission of continually advancing the quality of care and life of people with SCI through the application of emerging treatments in the setting of clinical trials and a SCI Registry.
NASS and NACTN will collaborate with NNS and propose a session within the 2026 NNS symposium on “Personalized Approaches to Managing Spinal Cord Injury”.
For the sixth year, the symposium would be presented in honor of Dr. Robert Grossman who contributed greatly to the field of neurotrauma and spinal cord injury treatment.
S09 - Chair
Yi Lu, Dr.
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Mass General Brigham
S09 - Chair
Michael Fehlings, Dr.
Professor
University of Toronto
S09.01 - Personalized Approaches to Managing Cord Injury
Karlo Pedro, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Toronto
S09.02 - Anatomic Basis for the Heterogeneity of Spinal Cord Injury Recovery
Yi Lu, Dr.
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Mass General Brigham
S09.03 - Personalized Surgical Approaches for Spinal Trauma
Daryl Fields, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Florida
S09.04 - Biomarkers for Spinal Cord Injury
Sophie Stukas, Dr.
Research Director
University of British Columbia
(SESSION)S10 - PPRECISE-TBI: Leveraging Shared Data and Analytics to Improve Rigor and Reproducibility in the Assessment of Injury Severity in Animal Models
Session Description:
Over the past decade, the evaluation of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has evolved beyond the traditional Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), which, while essential for initial triage, fails to capture the complexity of individual injury mechanisms and patient-specific factors. A more nuanced framework—Clinical presentation, Biomarkers, Imaging, and Modifiers (CBI-M)—has emerged, integrating acute signs (e.g., GCS, loss of consciousness) with biological, radiological, and contextual data (e.g., medications, prior TBI, healthcare access). This multidimensional approach enhances clinical decision-making and trial design but introduces new challenges for preclinical research. Animal models of TBI often define injury severity by device parameters (e.g., pressure, acceleration) rather than biological response, limiting translational relevance. Bridging this gap requires a shift toward outcome-based classification in preclinical studies that mirrors the CBI-M framework. To address this, the VA, NIH, and DoD have championed the development of standardized Common Data Elements (CDEs) and the Open Data Commons for TBI (ODC-TBI), a centralized repository for harmonized datasets. These initiatives aim to improve data interoperability, enable cross-study comparisons, and identify which acute measures—biomarkers, imaging, behavioral outcomes—best predict injury severity and therapeutic response. By aligning preclinical and clinical definitions of TBI severity, we can accelerate the identification of effective interventions and improve the fidelity of bench-to-bedside translation.
S10 - Chair
Candace Floyd, Dr.
Professor
Emory University, VA Atlanta Health Care
S10.01 - Improving Rigor and Reproducibility by Leveraging Data Sets Across Institutions: A Case Study.
Gene Gurkoff, Professor
Professor
University of California, Davis; Dept. Neurological Surgery
S10.02 - Leveraging Large Samples in the Open-data Commons to Create a Personalized Medicine Approach to Assessing Injury Severity in Pre-clinical Studies
Russell Huie, Dr.
Associate Professional Researcher
University of California San Francisco and SF VA
S10.03 - Putting the M Inside Preclinical Research – Why Subject Modifiers are as Important in Pre-clinical Models as in our Patients
Pamela VandeVord, Professor
Professor
Salem VAMC
S10.04 - fergBig Data and Analytics – How Data in the Open Data Commons can Help your Lab Enter the Era of New Approach Methods (NAM)
Adam Ferguson, Dr.
Professor And Co-director Of The Brain And Spinal Injury Center (BASIC)
UCSF-BASIC
(SESSION)S11 - Contextualizing Novel Tools and Applications of Blood-based Biomarkers and Trajectories in Post-acute and Chronic Neurotrauma Patients.
Session Description:
This symposium will focus on increasing our understanding of TBI and SCI recovery trajectories by utilizing novel technical approaches such as high multiplex proteomic platforms, capillary and dry blood samples as well as machine learning data analysis. Current clinical TBI classification, including the new classification framework (CBI-M) and regulatory approved biofluid biomarkers, focuses mainly on the acute phase of TBI. Long-term variability, secondary condition risk assessment, and differences in responsiveness to rehabilitation have made it challenging to establish effective therapeutic pathways that personalize and optimize function and recovery. Here we will present state of the art and complimentary preclinical and clinical approaches and findings in identifying key variants in post-acute chronic blood-based biomarkers associated with neurotrauma severity and morbidity, as well as recovery potential and treatment responsiveness. This session will be partially sponsored by the Chinese Neurotrauma Scholar Association (CNSA).
S11 - Chair
Firas Kobaissy, Professor
Professor
Morehouse school of medicine
S11 - Chair
Grace Griesbach, Dr.
National Director Clinical Research
Centre For Neuro Skills
S11 .01 - Studying the Biomarker Trajectory in Preclinical TBI Models; Lesson learning from the TOP-NT Consortium Project.
Kevin Wang, Professor
Executive Director of Translational and Multi-Omic Medicine
Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution (FfAME)
S11.02 - Identifying High-Multiplex Biomarker Signature in Addressing Broader Chronic Neurotrauma Pathophysiology and Morbidity in a Real-World Clinical Setting.
Grace Griesbach, Dr.
National Director Clinical Research
Centre For Neuro Skills
S11.03 - Biomarker Patterns and Longitudinal Trajectory Among Severe-moderate TBI Patients.
Amy Wagner, Professor
University of Pittsburgh
S11.04 - The INFORM-TBI Vision: Building a Global Framework for Biomarker Validation and Clinical Implementation.
Ramon Diaz-arrastia, Professor
Director of Clinical TBI Research Initiative
University of Pennsylvania
(SESSION)S12 - Neuromodulation in Neurotrauma: Novel Approaches to Enhance Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Session Description
Spinal cord injury (SCI) presents multifaceted challenges for recovery, rehabilitation, and long-term quality of life. Despite decades of research, effective therapeutic strategies remain limited. Electrical neuromodulation has recently emerged as a promising approach to enhance neuroplasticity, promote regeneration, and improve functional outcomes in individuals living with SCI. By modulating neural circuits through targeted stimulation, these techniques offer new possibilities for restoring movement, sensation, and autonomic function.
This mini symposium aims to bring together leading researchers and clinicians working across experimental and translational domains to present recent advances in electrical neuromodulation for SCI. The session will highlight innovative applications of stimulation technologies in rodent and large animal models, as well as in human clinical settings. Topics will include transcranial and spinal stimulation, development of novel bioelectronic interfaces, and strategies for bridging preclinical and clinical research.
In addition to showcasing cutting-edge science, the symposium will offer practical insights into implementing neuromodulation protocols in laboratory and rehabilitation environments. Speakers will discuss methodological considerations, challenges in device design and delivery, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. A moderated discussion will invite reflection on translational barriers and future directions in the field.
Our goal is to foster meaningful dialogue among neuroscientists, engineers, clinicians, and trainees, and to accelerate the development of neuromodulation-based interventions for SCI. By integrating perspectives across model systems and clinical practice, we hope to advance the field of neurotrauma and contribute to more effective, personalized approaches to recovery.
S12 - Chair
Eleni Sinopoulou, Dr.
Assistant Project Scientist
University of California, San Diego
S12 - Chair
Carolyn Sparrey, Assoc. Professor
Simon Fraser University - Surrey Campus
S12.02 - Insights from Non-Human Primate Studies Using Epidural Stimulation to Restore Motor Function, With Implications for Human Translation.
Nicolo Macellari, Dr.
Postdoctoral Scholar
University Of Pittsburgh
S12.03 - Development of Novel Electrodes for Brain and Spinal Cord Stimulation and Advances in Bioelectronic Interfaces and Electrode Technologies Designed to Improve Specificity, Durability, and Biocompatibility.
Shadi Dayeh, Prof.
University of California, San Diego
S12.04 - Clinical Applications of Non-Invasive Neuromodulation, Including Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation and Paired Associative Stimulation.
Soshi Samejima, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Washington
(SESSION)Tuesday - Exhibition and Poster Reception - Poster Group B (POB)
A Chemically Gated Platform for Precise Control of Viral Gene Expression in the Central Nervous System
Zimei Wang, Dr.
Scientist
Marquette University
A Nationwide Study Exploring Factors Associated With Unplanned Intubation Following Severe Isolated Traumatic Brain Injury in Adults
Jarair Tahsin, Mr.
Medical Student
Suny Downstate Health Sciences University
A Novel Molecular Strategy for Strong, Cell-Autonomous Activation of Regenerative JAK/STAT Signaling in Corticospinal Tract Neurons
Murray Blackmore, Dr.
Professor
Marquette University
A Weighted K-Nearest Neighbor Machine Learning Approach for Parcellating Brain Cortical Functional Regions in Finite Element Head Models
Haojie Mao, Dr.
Associate Professor
Western University
Action Collaborative on Traumatic Brain Injury Care: Longitudinal Patient Characteristics From an Early Single-Center Post-Acute Clinic
Diego Martell, Mr.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University Of California, San Francisco
Acute CT Findings and Their Relation to Outcome in a Large Prospective Norwegian Cohort of Patients With Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Halvor Solheim, Mr.
Medical student
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Acute Changes in Circulating MicroRNAs Indicate Neuronal Stress Following Repetitive Sub-Concussive Blast: INVICTA Study
Daniela Lecca, Dr.
Scientist
Henry M Jackson Foundation
Acute Imaging Strategy Patterns in Screened Emergency Department Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury
Justin Desprebiteres, Mr
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of Pennsylvania
Acute Physiological Effects of Diffuse Rotational Traumatic Brain Injury in Yucatan Miniature Swine
Ahmed Altaf, Dr
Research Specialist
University Of Pennsylvania
Adult Hypertension as a Clinically-Relevant Comorbidity Augmenting Cognitive Deficits, Anxiety, and Pathological Outcomes After TBI in Pediatric and Adult Rats
Ainsley Kindred, Ms.
Postbaccalaureate Trainee
University Of Pittsburgh
Advancing Global Data Sharing and Harmonization in TBI: Results from The International InTBIR Data Science and Harmonization Working Group
Abel Torres Espin, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Waterloo
Age-Adjusted Normative Data Improves Interpretation of Serum Neurofilament Light Associations with Neurologic and Extracranial Injury After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Cheryl Wellington, Dr
Profoessor And Vice Chair Research
University Of British Columbia
Alterations in Cerebral Blood Flow Associated with White Matter Hyperintensities Following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Anna Mueller, Ms.
Research Assistent
University Of Pennsylvania
Antagonist of Cellular Prion Protein Protects Learning and Memory in a Mouse Model of Traumatic Brain Injury
Timi Akinwunmi-williams, Mr.
Medical Student
Morehouse School of Medicine
Association of Systemic Hospital Complications with Functional Disability After Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study
Leila Etemad, Ms.
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Astrocytic Tau Pathology Differentiates Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury
Alicia Bea Feichtenbiner, Miss
Graduate Student
University of Southern California
Axonal Stretch Injury Induces Oma1 Activation and Disrupts Mitochondrial Dynamics
Reagan Speas, Ms.
Graduate Student
University of Michigan
Beyond Glasgow Coma Scale: Applying the Comprehensive Brain Injury Model to Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Jai Trivedi, Mr.
Research Coordinator
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Biomechanical Features of Head Impact Exposure Associated with Clinical Changes in Uninjured Contact Sport Athletes
Brian Stemper, Dr.
Biomedical Engineering
Medical College of Wisconsin
Brain Injury & Inflammatory Biomarker Trajectory Variations in Surgical Approaches
John Fedak, Mr.
Research Assistant
University Of Pittsburgh
C3 and CD14 Are Structure-Specific Regulators of Acute Microglial Neuroinflammation in a Murine TBI+polytrauma Model
Francesco Roselli, Professor, Dr.
Prof. Dr.
Ulm University
CT-Independent Mortality Prediction After Traumatic Brain Injury Using Soft-Voting Machine Learning: A Multicenter Study
Kazuya Matsuo, DR.
Associate Proffessor / Lecturer
Kobe University Graduate School of medicine
Cellular Prion Protein Deletion Affects Gene Expression and is Neuroprotective in a Repetitive Head Injury Model
Timi Akinwunmi-williams, Mr.
Medical Student
Morehouse School of Medicine
Cerebellar Gray Matter Volume and Associated Outcomes in Balance in Athletes with Repetitive Head Impact
Nishta Amin, Ms.
Graduate Research Fellow
Georgia State University
Characterizing the Immune Response in SCI Treated with FPLG
Daniela Garcia Prada, Mrs.
PhD Stududent
Rush University
Chronic Microvascular Disruption Is Associated With Traumatic Brain Injury
Aaron Gallagher, Dr.
Neurology Resident Physician
University Of Washington Department Of Neurology
Chronic Pain Following Mild Concussive-like Injury: Development of a Rat Model
Eric J. Sánchez Ayala, Mr.
Student
University Of Puerto Rico At Cayey
Clinical Trial of Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Treatment of Microvascular Dysfunction in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: Preliminary Report
Samuel Shin, Dr
Assistant Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Closed-Head Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury Alters the Gut Microbiome in Female Pigs
Caela C. Long, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Pennsylvania
Cluster Analysis of TBI Serum Biomarker Trajectories Identifies Critical Care Subgroups Predicting Global Outcome and Quality of Life
Tayo Obafemi-ajayi, Dr.
Faculty
Missouri State University
Co-Expression of 3R and 4R Tau Increases Synaptic Density and Preserves Cognition After Closed Head Injury in Mice
Joseph Fajobi, Mr
Graduate Research Assistant
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Cognitive Decline Following Mid-Life and Later-Life Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence from the Framingham Heart Study.
Natalie Jenkins, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow
Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai
Concussive Injury Modulates Neurogenesis and Circuit Function in Human Forebrain Organoids
Razieh Jaberi, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of California Riverside
Data Field Transformation for Formatting Harmonization in Traumatic Brain Injury Studies Using Micro Large Language Models
Patrick Belton, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Delirium After Traumatic Brain Injury: High Prevalence, Low Recognition in Older Adults
David Castro, Mr.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of California, San Francisco
Designing and Characterizing an MRI compatible Rat Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Model
Ariell Dunkley, Ms.
Lab Technician
University Of Kentucky
Differential Roles of Endothelial and Phagocytic MERTK in Regulating Secondary Injury After Traumatic Brain Injury.
Allison Porter, Ms.
Phd Student
East Carolina University
Differentiating Concussion-Related and Organic Phenotypes of Depression in Former Collegiate Athletes: A CARE-SALTOS Integrated Study-Based Analysis
Mitchell Andersson, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
Medical College Of Wisconsin
Diffuse Axonal Injury Persists in the Posterior Cortex One Month Post-Injury in a Gyrencephalic Model of Blast + Rotational TBI
Oliver L'Esperance, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Henry M. Jackson Foundation
Early Changes in Hippocampal Network Oscillations Predict Long-Term Seizure Burden and Cognitive Impairments across Distinct Injury Models.
Ali Izadi, Dr.
Assistant Professional Researcher
UC Davis
Early Chronic Cognitive and Neurobehavioral Sequalae 5-10 Years Following Repetitive Neurotrauma Exposure in Collegiate Athletes and Military Cadets.
Benjamin Brett, Dr.
Research Faculty/clinical Neuropsychologist
Medical College of Wisconsin
Early Insomnia Severity Is a Predictor of 12-Month Functional and Quality of Life Outcomes in GCS 14–15 Traumatic Brain Injury
Kathryn Park, Ms.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of California, San Francisco
Effective Cognitive Rehabilitation for Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats Is Associated With Diffusion Restriction Metrics in Limbic Regions
Corey Stewart, Mr.
Graduate Student Research Assistant
University Of Michigan
Effects of Oxycodone Exposure after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Maykeling Arauz, Ms.
Graduate Student
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Effects of Pre-existing Angiotensin II–Induced Hypertension on Acute TBI-Induced Neuropathology in Mice
Dominic Nthenge-Ngumbau, Dr.
Postdoctoral Scholar
University of Kentucky
Elevated Intracranial Pressure Alters Astrocyte-Related Protein Expression, Localization, and Solute Clearance Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats.
Emily Seay, Ms.
Senior Laboratory Technician
Virginia Commonwealth University
Environmental Drivers of Rod Microglia Morphology in the Brain-Injured Cortex
Jenna McCloskey, Ms.
Ph.D. Student
University of Michigan
Examining Regionally Specified Spinal Neural Progenitor Cells and Targeted Forelimb Rehabilitation in Enhancing Recovery After Bilateral Compressive-Contusive Cervical Cord Injury
Aysu Kollu, Ms
MSc student
University of Toronto
Examining the Influence of Neurotrauma History and Obesity on Cerebral Blood Flow in Former NFL Players at Late Life
Alexa Hutzenbiler, Dr.
Postdoctoral Neuropsychology Fellow
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
Examining the Relationship Between Hypercapnea and ICP in Critically Ill Patients after TBI
Kenneth Fond, Mr
Software developer/analyst
UCSF Brain and Spinal Injury Center
Factors Associated With Spinal Cord Injury Among Adults With Vertebral Fractures: A National Trauma Data Bank Analysis
Jarair Tahsin, Mr.
Medical Student
Suny Downstate Health Sciences University
Feasibility of Implementing a Stakeholder-Developed Precision Medicine Dashboard for Post-Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: TBI-BRIDGE
Cathra Halabi, Dr.
Associate Professor of Neurology
UCSF
Female Mice Exhibit Amplified Cortical Metabolic Responses Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Anastasia Georges, Mrs.
Research Specialist
University Of Pennsylvania
From Acute Injury to PTSD: A Translational Study on Early Biological and Cognitive Predictors in Trauma Patients
Stephen Ferrando, Dr.
Chairman, Department Of Psychiatry
Westchester Mesical Center Health Network
Headache Burden Independently Predicts Impairment in Cognitive Performance in Persisting Post-Concussion Symptoms
Rida Ismail, Ms.
Lab Manager, Incoming Medical Student
University of California, Los Angeles
How Many Hit Matters? Defining the Threshold for Tau Mediated Degeneration after Repetitive Traumatic Axonal Injuries In-Vitro
Subash Bhandari, Dr.
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Pennsylvania
Human Multicellular In Vitro Brain Models Reveal How Injury Severity Drives Distinct Neurodegenerative Trajectories.
Volha Liaudanskaya, Dr
Assistant Professor
University Of Cincinnati
Human iPSC-Derived Tissue Engineered Spinal Tracts Promote Axonal Extension and Integration Following Spinal Cord Injury
Justin Burrell, Dr.
Research Associate
University of Pennsylvania
Hydrogen Inhalation Attenuates Oxidative Stress After Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury
Yan Dong, Dr.
Research Fellow
Boston Children's Hospital
IL-1β/IL1Recptor-1 Signaling Mediates Synaptic Dysfunction and Cognitive Deficits After
Limin Wu, Dr
Instructor
Mgh
Identifying Motor Responders to Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulation for Spinal Cord Injury
Emily Haag, Ms
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Minnesota
Impaired Intraspinal Hemodynamics and Neurovascular Unit in the Chronically Injured Spinal Cord
Preeja Chandran, Dr
Postdoctoral fellow
University of Louisville
Implantable Flexible Head-Mounted Circuit Interface for Neural Recording and Stimulation in Freely Moving Spinal Cord–Injured Mice
Ahnsei Shon, Dr.
Research Scientist
University Of Louisville
Implementation of a Standardized Framework to Mitigate Challenges in Imaging Repository Organization for Large Multisite Studies
Christine Gotthardt, Ms.
Clinical Research Supervisor
University of California, San Francisco
Institutional ICU Admission Criteria in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: A TRACK-TBI Survey Study
Neel Jani, Dr.
Resident Physician
University Of Wisconsin
Interleukin 6–Mediated Disruption of Neuronal Adrenergic Signaling during Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury
Nurul Sulimai, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Intranasal Hypocretin Reorganizes Glia-Neuron Microcircuitry After Traumatic Brain Injury
Nikolaas Steele, Mr.
Student
University of Colorado Boulder
Investigating Neuroinflammatory Signatures of Neurobehavioral and Cognitive Impairment in Traumatic brain Injury
Joyce Opara, Dr
Fellow Neuropathology
University Of Washington
Kinematic Analysis of Closed Head Injury in Mice Using Markerless Motion Capture Reveal Contact and Inertial Effects on Functional Outcomes
Raymond Yeung, Dr.
Lab Assistant 2
University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine
Liposomal Dexamethasone Delivery Reduces Neuroinflammation and Amyloid Pathology in APP/PS1 Mice Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Goknur Kara, Dr.
Research Associate
Houston Methodist Research Institute
Lysophosphatidylcholine Drives Post-Recanalization "No-Reflow" via Pericyte Dysfunction in Ischemic Stroke
Chunyan Li, Associate Professor
Associate Professor
The Feinstein Institutes For Medical Research
Machine Learning Factor Analysis Reveals Injury-Induced Multi-Compartment Inflammatory Heterogeneity and Its Therapeutic Attenuation After Controlled Cortical Impact
Brock Gjesdal, Mr.
Medical Student
University Of Pittsburgh
Microglia Turnover Modulates Behavioral Outcomes After Early Life Stress and Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats
Kathryn Lenz, Dr.
Associate Professor
The Ohio State University
Modeling Blast Traumatic Brain Injury Using a Bioengineered 3D Neural Tissue Platform
Ashutosh Yende, Dr.
Scientist
HJF - Uniformed Services University
Modeling CTE-Associated Pathological Features: A Human 3D In Vitro Triculture System for Mild Repetitive Injury.
Sunghyun Jun, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
USUHS
Modeling Central Nervous System Polytrauma: Development of a Rodent Model of Concomitant Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury
Shannon Kafura, Ms
Graduate student
Medical College of WI
Multi-Omics Identify Unique Protein Signature of Repeated Traumatic Brain Injury in Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid
Sarah Svirsky, Dr.
Postdoctoral Scholar
University Of Pittsburgh
Multi-scale High-Definition Fiber Tractography Reveals Persistent Corpus Callosum Network Disruptions in Pre-clinical and Clinical Mild TBI.
Eleni Moschonas, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow
University Of Pittsburgh
Multiomic miRNA–Proteomic Profiling Identifies Biomarkers of Neurological Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury
Katie Edwards, Dr.
Research Associate
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Multisensory 40 Hz Gamma Stimulation Modulates Glymphatic Transport Recovery Following TBI
Daniel Zhang, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
Georgia Institute of Technology
Neurobehavioral and Electrophysiological Markers of Cognitive Control During Neuromodulation After Traumatic Brain Injury: Interim Results From the SMART Study
David Darrow, Dr.
Neurosurgeon
University of Minnesota/Hennepin Healthcare
Neuroimmune Modulation of Sleep After Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects of Microglial Depletion and Repopulation
Gabriel Nah, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Colorado
Neurological Blood-Based Biomarkers of Chronic Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence Caused Brain Injury – Preliminary Study
Mohammad Ghodsi, Mr.
Graduate Student
University of British Columbia
Neuronal LRP1 Deletion Mitigates Lipid-Peroxidation Driven Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Preserves Metabolic Flexibility in TBI
Velmurugan Gopal Viswanathan, Dr
Assistant Professor
University Of Kentucky
Neuronal LRP1 Regulates TBI-Induced TNFR1 Translocation, Activity and Amyloidosis
Michelle Taylor, Ms.
Graduate Student
Virginia Commonwealth University
Neuronal p38α Knockout Protects Against Neurological Consequences Following Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Levi Wood, Dr.
Associate Professor
Georgia Institute Of Technology
Older Veterans Presenting to a VA Emergency Department versus Patients Presenting to Trauma Centers with Acute Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Mikaila Cutone-Dion, Ms.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of California San Francisco
Optical Characterization of Cerebral Pulsatility During Postural Intracranial Pressure Changes: A Feasibility Study
Farah Kamar, Ms.
MD/PhD Student
Western University
Phenotypes and Clustering Patterns of Infiltrating B Cells after Contusive Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Alyssa Franklin, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Kentucky
Photobiomodulation Therapy Promotes Recovery of Cortical Functioning During Cognitive Performance in Patients With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Feasibility Study
Hope Nyarady, Miss.
Graduate Student Research Assistant
University At Buffalo
Phrenic Afferent Activity After C2 Hemisection and Diaphragm Pacing
Felix Sanchez, Mr.
Graduate Assistant
Marquette University
Phrenic Proprioceptor Activation Induces Plasticity and Is Associated With c-Fos Activation Within the Phrenic Motor Nucleus
Haylee Hulihee, Ms.
Laboratory Technician
Marquette University
Post-TBI Sensitivity of the Auditory and Vestibular Systems to Intense Noise Exposure
Suhrud Rajguru, Dr.
Professor
University Of Miami
Predictors of Patient Satisfaction with Emergency Department Care Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Survey-Based Study
Temitayo Okusanya, Ms.,
Doctoral Candidate
Medical College of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, WI
Prefrontal Cortex Injury Drives Neuroinflammation in the Nucleus Accumbens while Microglial Turnover Worsens Injury-driven Impulsivity
Erskine Chu, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow
The Ohio State University
Protein Panels and Pathways Related to Persisting Post-Concussion Symptom Domains in Adolescents
Arum Lim, Dr.
Post-doctoral Researcher
Johns Hopkins University
Putting a Damper on TBI: Identifying Injury-Derived Progressive Transcriptional Regulation Occurring within Midbrain Inhibitory GABAergic Neuron Populations
Kathleen Specht, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Cincinnati
Reliability of Self-Reported Traumatic Brain Injury Over 25 Years
Sabrina Abbruzzese, Ms.
Data Analyst
University of Pennsylvania
Reorganization of Intrinsic Neural Oscillations Underlies Symptom Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence from Neurodynamic Modeling of the TRACK-TBI Cohort
Taotao Wu, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Georgia
Role of Neuronal CCR5 in Spinal Cord Injury
Emma Augustine, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
Schwann Cell Growth Properties in Collagen Mesh Implant for Cauda Equina Repair
Kirsten Krick, Ms.
Medical Student
Upstate Medical University
Selective Alteration of Astrocytes in Post-Traumatic Epilepsy
Samuel Husarik, Mr.
Research Assistant
University Of Washington
Severe High-Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury Disrupts Acute Autonomic Function: Cardiovascular, Temperature, and Activity Implications
Sajeev Kaur, Dr.
Post Doctoral Fellow
University of Kentucky
Sex Differences in Stress-Primed Responses to Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury Reveal Distinct Molecular Injury Signatures
Pamela VandeVord, Professor
Professor
Salem VAMC
Sex- and Stress-Dependent Relationships With NOP Receptor Modulation on Cerebral Blood Flow and Neurotrophin Signaling After Traumatic Brain Injury
Panini Patankar, Dr
Graduate Research Assistant
Oklahoma University Health Science Center
Sex-Differences in Microglial Neuronal Interaction after TBI
Karinn Sytsma, Ms.
Research Scientist
University of Washington
Sex-Specific Glial Remodeling and Sleep Fragmentation Disrupt Growth Hormone Signaling After Juvenile Traumatic Brain Injury
Joseph Muckle, Mr
Masters Student
University Of Colorado Boulder
Sex-Specific Neuroimmune Responses to TBI Following Inhibition of MIF/CD74 Signaling in Mice
Alexis McAlister, Ms.
Graduate Student
Texas A&M University
Sexual Arousal Measurement in Women with Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Study Using Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging
Elizabeth Bottorff, Dr.
Postdoc Fellow
University of Minnesota
Sleep Deprivation After Traumatic Brain Injury Reveals Selective Hypothalamic Inflammatory Signaling
François Labadie, Mr.
Undergraduate student
University of Colorado
Synergistic Effects of Nicotine and Oral Contraceptive Exposure on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes in Female Rats.
Ami Raval, Dr
Research Professor
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
TBI-Induced solTNF/TNFR1 Activity Promotes Amyloid Beta Generation and Neurological Deficits, without Impacting Microglial Phagocytosis of Amyloid Beta
Kirsty Dixon, Dr.
Associate Professor
Virginia Commonwealth University
Targeting Microbial Poly-N-acetylglucosamine Reduces Neuroinflammation and Improves Neurological Outcomes Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Hongmei Yang, Dr.
Research Fellow
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
The COVID Effect: National Changes in Neurotrauma Injury Patterns, Imaging, and Resource Utilization in U.S. Emergency Departments
Azeez Abdul, Mr.
Medical Student
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
The Prevalence of Multiple Concussions in Professional Football Players: A Scoping Review
Ryan Luke Sodemann, Mr.
Research Assistant
Boston Children's Hospital
The Renin–Angiotensin System Mediates Vascular Remodeling Following Spinal Cord Injury
Christopher Foote, Dr.
Asst. Research Prof.
University of Missouri
The Unprotected Epidemic: Escalating Incidence and Clinical Severity of E-Scooter Related Traumatic Brain Injury
Katarina Cook, Ms
MD/PhD Student
School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
Time-Dependent Alterations in HPA Axis Regulation Following Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury
Theresa Currier Thomas, Dr
Associate Professor
University of South Florida
Toward Clinical Implementation of Blood Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury: Analytical Harmonization and Reference Standard Development in the INFORM-TBI Consortium
Ava Puccio, Dr.
Co-director Neurotrauma Cliniacl Trials Center
University Of Pittsburgh, Department Of Neurosurgery
Transcranial Neuromodulation for Epileptogenesis Prevention in the Sleep-Disrupted Injured Brain
Md Adil Arman, Mr.
Phd Student
Florida International University
Transcriptional Profiling and Immunohistological Assessments of Thalamic Glia During the Subacute Phase of Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury in Swine
Radina Lilova, Ms.
Graduate Student
Virginia Commonwealth University
Transcriptional Profiling of Spinal Cord Macrophages Following Treatment with LPS-MSC-Derived Nanovesicles
Gabriela Brown, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Kentucky
Translational Trauma Model Defines Dose-Response, Repair Mechanisms, and Biomarkers of Adenosine Receptor Agonist AST-004 in Human Astrocytes
Ina B. Wanner, Dr.
Associate Research Neuroscientist
UCLA, Geffen Sch Medicine, Semel Institute, IDDRC
Traumatic Brain Injury During Pregnancy Risks Synapse Loss and Early Communication Behavior in Exposed Offspring
Brenda E. Lujan, Mrs.
Research Assistant
University of Arizona
Traumatic Brain Injury Results in Severely Disrupted axons in the Cerebellar Cortex
Sharon Juliano, Dr.
Professor of Neuroscience
USUHS
Traumatic Brain Injury and HSV-1 Infection Interact To Alter Post-Injury Sleep Architecture in Mice
Alyson R. Stewart, Ms.
Phd Student
University Of Colorado
Traumatic Brain Injury and Sleep Disruption Converge To Promote Alzheimer’s-Related Protein Pathology
Matias Mendez, Mr.
Graduate student research assistant
University of Colorado Boulder
UCHL1 Mutations Protect Against Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Impulsive-Like Behaviors and Neuropathic Pain
Dakota Robison, Mr.
Graduate Student
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Usage of AI for PubMed Analysis in Preclinical Traumatic Brain Injury Abstracts
C. Edward Dixon, Dr.
Neurotrauma Chair
University Of Pittsburgh
“It’s Not Free to Pee.” – Development of NOVO-120 for the Treatment of Bladder and Sensory-Motor Dysfunction After Spinal Cord Injury in Male and Female Rats.
Michael Kyweriga, Dr.
Scientist II
Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center
(SESSION)Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony
(SESSION)PL03: Harnessing Sensory Afferents to Restore Function After Spinal Cord Injury: From Breathing to Bladder and Beyond
Session Description:
Restoration of function after spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a major goal in spinal cord injury research. A growing body of evidence highlights the powerful role of sensory afferents in driving neuroplasticity and promoting functional recovery. This symposium will bring together a diverse panel of investigators who are advancing our understanding of how targeted activation of sensory afferents can be leveraged to restore critical physiological and motor functions including breathing, locomotion, and bladder control following SCI.
Dr. Paloma Bittencourt-Silva will discuss recent work demonstrating that phrenic nerve and diaphragm stimulation can engage sensory afferents to enhance respiratory motor output and improve breathing after cervical SCI. Dr. Erica Dale will highlight how epidural spinal stimulation can recruit afferent pathways to promote respiratory plasticity and function. Extending beyond breathing, Dr. Aaron Mickle will present findings on how selective activation of afferents can improve bladder control and autonomic function after SCI. Finally, Dr. Andrew Spence will discuss how afferent stimulation strategies can facilitate locomotor recovery through modulation of spinal networks.
Together, these talks will showcase converging evidence that sensory afferent activation represents a powerful and underutilized therapeutic target to promote recovery across multiple systems. The session will stimulate discussion on mechanistic underpinnings, translational challenges, and future directions for afferent-targeted interventions to improve quality of life after SCI.
PL03 - Chair
Felix Sanchez, Mr.
Graduate Assistant
Marquette University
PL03 - Chair
Kristi Streeter, Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Marquette University
PL03.01 - Activating Phrenic Afferents to Enhance Respiratory Recovery after Cervical SCI
Paloma Bittencourt-Silva, Dr.
Postdoc
Marquette University
PL03.02 - Afferent Contributions to Epidural Stimulation-induced Respiratory Neuroplasticity
Erica Dale, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Florida
PL03.03 - Targeted Neuromodulation of Sensory Neurons for Improvement of the Lower Urinary Tract Function Following SCI
Aaron Mickle, Associate Professor
Associate Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
PL03.04 - Chemogenetic Afferent stimulation with Treadmill Training to Promote Plasticity and Locomotor Function after SCI
Andrew Spence, Professor
Professor Of Neuroengineering
Temple University
(SESSION)PG02 - Poster Group B I Day 2
(SESSION)S13 - Vascular Responses to Neurotrauma
Session Description:
The neurovascular system plays a critical role in both the acute and chronic responses to brain and spinal cord injury. This session will explore how trauma disrupts vascular integrity, alters cerebral blood flow, and contributes to secondary injury cascades that shape long-term outcomes. Presentations will integrate clinical and preclinical perspectives to highlight how structural and functional imaging, histopathological assessment, and biomarker studies reveal key features of vascular and blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction after neurotrauma.
Speakers will discuss advances in neuroimaging approaches to visualize vascular injury in vivo, including high-resolution MRI and advanced ultrasound imaging techniques that capture brain and spinal cord blood flow as well as microvascular hemodynamics. Pathological analyses will detail cellular and molecular changes in the vasculature - ranging from endothelial damage and pericyte loss to inflammatory, metabolic, and mitochondrial contributions to vascular dysfunction.
By bridging translational research across traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI), this session aims to identify common mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities that target vascular dysfunction and enable neuroprotection. Attendees will gain a comprehensive view of how vascular pathology influences neural recovery and how emerging tools can be leveraged to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention strategies after neurotrauma.
S13 - Chair
Brad Hubbard, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky
S13 - Chair
Zin Khaing, Dr.
Associate professor
University of Louisville
S13.01 - Vascular and BBB Pathology After SCI
Zin Khaing, Dr.
Associate professor
University of Louisville
S13.02 - Mitochondrial-related Vascular Changes After Blast TBI
Brad Hubbard, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky
S13.03 - Clinical Biomarkers and Perivascular Changes After TBI
Danielle Sandsmark, Dr.
Associate Professor Of Neurology
University Of Pennsylvania
S13.04 - MRI-based Perfusion Imaging in Neurotrauma
Matthew Budde, Dr.
Associate Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
(SESSION)S14 - Understanding White Matter Dynamics Linking Mild TBI and Psychiatric Burden: Insights from Advanced Neuroimaging and Therapeutic Development
Session Description
Damage to and degeneration of white matter are particularly consequential, given its critical role in communication between brain regions. Emerging evidence suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychiatric burden are linked to white matter damage through overlapping yet distinct biological processes. However, how these processes differ, evolve over time, and relate to functional outcomes remains unclear, as few in-vivo imaging methods can independently detect these subtle changes.
This session features an integrated framework of cross-sectional and longitudinal neuroimaging approaches to assess white matter microstructural brain health. Spanning clinical cohorts, MRI modalities, and preclinical models, this collaborative platform highlights how white matter disruption evolves over time, contributes to functional and clinical outcomes, and informs therapeutic development. The first presentation will introduce the biological interpretability of longitudinal white matter microstructural changes following concussion in a juvenile rodent model. The second will transition to human clinical mTBI, presenting longitudinal data from the TRACK-TBI study and emphasizing “what the injury brings to the brain, and what the brain brings to the injury.” The third will build on this framework by examining TBI-related changes in white matter integrity in a longitudinal cohort of trauma survivors. The fourth will extend these concepts to Veterans, presenting longitudinal evidence of tissue contrast changes, with trajectories varying by neurotrauma history and demonstrating accelerated age-related decline in the presence of psychiatric conditions. The final presentation will return to a preclinical perspective, highlighting potential white matter-related therapeutic targets and reinforcing the translational relevance of these findings.
Across these datasets, regionally specific alterations provide converging evidence of neural vulnerability across injury mechanisms, psychiatric burden, and aging. These presentations underscore the translational potential of harmonized, cross-cohort imaging approaches to link white matter characteristics with functional outcomes and therapeutic insight.
S14 - Chair
Megan Huibregtse, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
S14.01 - Lifespan Diffusion MRI Monitoring of White Matter in a Juvenile Mouse Model of Concussion
Andre Obenaus, Dr.
Dr.
University of California Riverside
S14.02 - White Matter Changes in Patients from the TRACK-TBI Study: What the Injury Brings to the Brain, and What the Brain Brings to the Injury
Lanya Tianhao Cai, Dr.
Associate Specialist
University of California San Francisco
S14.03 - Trauma-related Changes in Diffusion Metrics Across Post-traumatic Recovery and Associations with Symptoms Over Time: Findings from the AURORA Study
Megan Huibregtse, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
S14.04 - Longitudinal Trajectories of Cortical Interface and White Matter Health in Veterans with mTBI and Psychiatric Disorders
Madeleine Nowak, Dr.
Postdoc Fellow
VA Boston
S14.05 - Acute Treatment for Axon Damage and White Matter Degeneration in Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury
Regina Armstrong, Dr.
Dept Chair
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
(SESSION)S15 - Bridging Circuit-Behavior Dysfunction in Preclinical TBI with Advanced Brain Recording Methods
Session Description:
Modern neuroscience emphasizes neural circuits. Historically, preclinical TBI has focused on the location of injury and pathology as well as the specific type or model of injury. However, understanding precisely how injury affects interconnected circuits as well as how adaptation during recovery alters the function of these circuits will be critical to developing meaningful treatments. Measurements of circuit function require appropriate targeted behavioral measurements to enable the use of this high-resolution data. The current session will describe advances in these areas to enable circuit-focused and translational models of preclinical TBI.
Miranda Koloski (University of California-San Diego, confirmed) will present results from multi-site electrode arrays to better understand impaired behavioral flexibility after injury. Neil Harris (University of California-Los Angeles, confirmed) will describe the use of functional ultrasound imaging to capture brain-wide dynamics after concussion during a head-fixed discrimination task. Cole Vonder Haar (Ohio State University, confirmed) will show behavioral and on-task fiber photometry data that identifies the nucleus accumbens as a locus of reward-learning deficits. John Wolf (University of Pennsylvania, confirmed) will present high-density electrophysiology data from awake, behaving rats and pigs following TBI.
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will have a better understanding of how modern methods for brain recording can be applied to questions of circuit dysfunction after TBI.
S15 - Chair
Cole Vonder Haar, Dr.
Associate Professor
Ohio State University
S15 - Chair
Lindsay Nelson, Professor
Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
S15.01 - Examining Disrupted Structure and Network Function in Cortico-striatal Circuits After TBI
Miranda Koloski, Dr.
Assistant Professor
VA San Diego
S15.02 - Capturing Simultaneous Behavior and Circuit Dysfunction During and After Repeat Concussion in the Mouse with Functional Ultrasound
Neil Harris, Professor
Professor
UCLA and LA VA
S15.03 -Real-time Calcium Activity Reveals Nucleus Accumbens Dysfunction After Frontal Injury
Cole Vonder Haar, Dr.
Associate Professor
Ohio State University
S15.04 - Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Limbic Circuit Dysfunction following TBI: High-Density Electrophysiology During Motivated Behavior in Rats and Pigs
John Wolf, Dr.
Assoc. Professor
University of Pennsylvania
(SESSION)S16 - Unraveling Sleep and Circadian Pathways in Neurotrauma
Session Description
Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances are nearly universal after brain injury, yet their role in neural repair and recovery remains underrecognized. Beyond contributing to fatigue and cognitive slowing, disrupted sleep actively influences neural circuit function, neuroinflammation, and immune regulation; key processes that govern both early outcomes and long-term recovery.
Organized by trainees from underrepresented backgrounds, this trainee-led symposium integrates mechanistic and translational perspectives to examine how sleep and circadian biology can be leveraged to promote recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Emerging evidence demonstrates that improving sleep quality, timing, and structure can directly influence these mechanisms, positioning sleep as a promising therapeutic target. Experimental studies using non-invasive modulation of cortical excitability reveal how repetitive brain injury alters sleep-dependent network dynamics, while advanced actigraphy now enables precise assessment of sleep fragmentation and circadian misalignment across species. Clinically, poor sleep is an independent predictor of persistent post-concussion symptoms and may exacerbate stress-related immune responses, including viral reactivation.
Alyson Stewart will discuss sleep disruption–induced reactivation of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 after TBI. Ian Díaz Nieves will examine MCH neuron dysfunction in the lateral hypothalamus following mild TBI. Rebecca Boland will describe microglial contributions to the neuroimmune environment under combined TBI and sleep fragmentation. Nija White will present how repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation influences sleep efficiency and astrogliosis via adenosine metabolism. Rida Ismail will highlight the clinical impact of poor sleep on persistent post-concussion syndrome. A concluding panel will bridge laboratory insights with translational and clinical applications.
S16.01 - Sleep Disruption as a Driver of HSV-1 Reactivation After Traumatic Brain Injury
Alyson R. Stewart, Ms.
Phd Student
University Of Colorado
S16.02 - Understanding the Contribution of Hypothalamic MCH Neurons in Sleep Disruptions After mild TBI
Ian Diaz Nieves, Mr.
PhD Candidate
University of Pennsylvania
S16.03 - Defining Microglia-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Traumatic Brain Injury with Sleep Fragmentation
Rebecca Boland, Ms.
Graduate Research Associate
Ohio State University
S16.04 - Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Sleep and Astrogliosis Following Repetitive Traumatic Brain Injury
Nija White, Ms.
Phd Candidate
Florida International University
S16.05 - Integrating Sleep Metrics and Neuromodulation to Predict Recovery after Concussion
Rida Ismail, Ms.
Lab Manager, Incoming Medical Student
University of California, Los Angeles
S16 - Chair
Andrea Lugo, Ms.
Doctoral Student
University of Colorado- Boulder
S16 - Chair
Gabriel Nah, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Colorado
(SESSION)S17 - Emerging Roles for Inflammation in Neurotrauma
Session Description
Neurotrauma is accompanied by complex neuro-immune interactions that substantially contribute to long-term outcomes. However, nonspecific anti-inflammatory therapies fail to improve recovery following neurotrauma and can even worsen functional recovery and morbidity. Thus, a better understanding of the damaging and reparative functions of inflammation is necessary for advancing immune-focused therapies. In this session, we will present novel findings on the critical roles of central and peripheral immunity in spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dr. Angela Filous will discuss the mechanisms for SCI-induced immune depression syndrome and how it worsens neurological outcomes, using a clinically relevant mouse model of acquired pneumonia after SCI. Dr. Olga Kokiko-Cochran will present on the neuroimmune responses to the loss of glucocorticoid receptor on microglia after lateral fluid percussion injury in mice. Dr. Andrew Gaudet will describe his recent findings that reveal how targeting the circadian system benefits microglia and macrophage responses and neurologic recovery after SCI. Dr. Dylan McCreedy, the session chair, will discuss how early innate immune cells can promote long-term recovery after SCI in a sex-dependent manner. Collectively, this session will highlight the current state of knowledge on the complex consequences of inflammation in neurotrauma to inform the next generation of neuroprotective and regenerative strategies for SCI and TBI.
S17.01 - Skull Bone Marrow-derived Cells in TBI
Michelle Theus, Professor
Professor
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine Virginia Talk
S17.02 - Defining the Role of Microglia Glucocorticoid Receptor in Outcome After Brain Injury
Olga Kokiko-Cochran, Dr.
Associate Professor
The Ohio State University
S17.03 - Circadian Control of Neuroprotection After Spinal Cord Injury
Andrew Gaudet, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Texas at Austin
S17.04 - Neutrophils Promote Resolution of Inflammation and Functional Recovery After Spinal cord Injury
Dylan McCreedy, Dr.
Assistant Professor
Texas A&M University
S17 - Chair
Dylan McCreedy, Dr.
Assistant Professor
Texas A&M University
(SESSION)S18 - Caring for the Whole Community: Considerations of Patient Demographics in Neurotrauma
Session Description
Advances in neurotrauma research and clinical care have significantly improved outcomes for many individuals affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). However, measurable differences in access to treatment, participation in research, and long-term recovery outcomes remain across these patient populations and care settings. These variations may reflect differences in socioeconomic factors, healthcare infrastructure, geographic location, and system-level access to specialized neurotrauma services and rehabilitation options.
This session will bring together neurotrauma experts across both basic science and translational research and clinical care to examine factors contributing to variable outcomes across both the TBI and SCI patient populations. Presenters will address patterns in neurotrauma research participation and clinical care delivery, with emphasis on populations who are more at risk for poor outcomes, injury management, optimizing treatment and rehabilitation access, and recovery pathways for both TBI and SCI patients. This session will also highlight current limitations to the existing research that hinder a comprehensive understanding of outcome variability. Collectively, these perspectives will highlight opportunities to improve outcomes for all individuals affected by TBI and SCI through more comprehensive data, broader research participation, and equitable access to high-quality care.
S18 - Chair
Amanda Glueck, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Kentucky
S18 - Chair
Ramesh Raghupathi, Dr.
Professor
Drexel University
S18.01 - Historical Lessons from the Professional Football: Neurotrauma Race Norms and Concussion Payout
Ima Ebong, Dr.
University of Kentucky, Department of Neurology
S18.02 - Social determinants of TBI in adults
Shameeke Taylor, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Mt Sinai, Department of Emergency Medicine
S18.03 - Health Disparities in the Care, Management and Outcomes following Pediatric TBI
Ramesh Raghupathi, Dr.
Professor
Drexel University
S18.04 - Socioeconomic Status Effect on Spinal Coordinate Injury Rehabilitation
Adriana Simpson, Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
(SESSION)WS01 - Designing and Delivering Effective Chalk Talks
Session Description
Chalk talks are often a much-feared, yet critical, aspect of faculty job interviews and research presentations. This workshop prepares early career scientists to deliver compelling chalk talks. Through a structured presentation with opportunities for interactive discussion throughout, participants will learn how to clearly articulate their scientific vision, outline future research directions, and engage faculty audiences without relying on slides.
The session will highlight the expectations and common formats of chalk talks, strategies for balancing technical depth with accessibility, and methods for demonstrating independence and feasibility. Presenters will share practical advice drawn from experience on both sides of the interview process, offering insights into how to avoid common pitfalls and strengthen delivery.
By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a clear framework for preparing and presenting a confident and compelling chalk talk that communicates their research and scientific goals.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the purpose and expectations of chalk talks in academic interviews.
- Learn strategies to effectively communicate research vision and independent viewpoint.
- Gain practical tips for handling questions and maintaining clarity under pressure.
Target Audience:
Senior graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty preparing for faculty interviews or seeking to strengthen their ability to present research plans in chalk talk format.
Participants will leave with actionable guidance, increased confidence, and a roadmap for delivering an effective chalk talk.
WS01 - Chair
Sydney Vita, Dr.
Assistant Professor
LSUHSC - New Orleans
WS01.01 - Speaker
Naomi Sayre, Dr.
Assistant Professor
UT Health San Antonio
WS01.02 - Speaker
Sydney Vita, Dr.
Assistant Professor
LSUHSC - New Orleans
(SESSION)WS02 - Preclinical CDEs
(SESSION)S19 - How TBI may Accelerate the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD)?
Session Description:
Emerging evidence from clinical and preclinical studies suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) may accelerate the progression of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD), though the evidence remains inconclusive. Further questions about the roles of TBI severity and number of TBI events have also been unresolved to date, but data suggest they are important factors in accelerating ADRD progression. Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers enable a minimally invasive assessment of the onset and progression of pathobiological changes after TBI, but outside of acute measures, long-term evolution in biomarker profiles has not been established. This session proposal will bridge the gap between the role of acute and long-term pathobiological changes after TBI focused primarily on ADRD pathobiology. To address these gaps, Jaclyn Iannucci will update on the immune linkages between TBI and future progression to ADRD. Paul Territo will examine how TBI and AD neurovascular coupling abnormalities share similar phenomena in both clinical subjects and preclinical models of disease. Rachel Rowe will describe how fragmented sleep may be a mechanistic link between TBI and ADRD. Finally, clinical and preclinical biomarker studies are showing great promise in assessing the role of TBI in ADRD progression and will be discussed by Denes Agoston. In summary, this session will lay the foundation for future investigations and future directions about how a heterogeneous TBI may confer increased risk for development of ADRD.
S19 - Chair
Andre Obenaus, Dr.
Dr.
University of California Riverside
S19 - Chair
Paul Territo, Dr.
Professor of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
S19.01 - Blood Borne Protein Biomarker Signatures of TBI-induced Vascular Injury in the Development of ADRD
Denes Agoston, Dr.
Professor
Uniformed Health Sciences University
S19.02 - Assessing the role of Closed Head Injury on Neurovascular Uncoupling and Network Function
Paul Territo, Dr.
Professor of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
S19.03 - Exploring Immune Mechanisms in Preclinical Traumatic Brain Injury: Insights into Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis.
Jaclyn Iannucci, Dr.
Research Scientist
TAMU
S19.04 - Fragmented Sleep as a Mechanistic Link Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s Disease–Related Dementia
Rachel Rowe, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado Boulder
(SESSION)S20 - Understanding Cause and Effect in Neurotrauma: A Practical Introduction for Researchers and Clinicians
Session Description:
Understanding Cause and Effect in Neurotrauma: A Practical Introduction for Researchers and Clinicians
After a TBI or SCI, countless biological, clinical, and environmental factors interact in ways that are difficult to untangle. As a field, we often ask questions like: Why do two patients with similar injuries recover differently? Which treatments truly help, not just correlate with better outcomes?How can we learn from realworld clinical data when randomized trials aren’t feasible? To answer these types of causeandeffect questions, we need to apply causal reasoning and modern data science instead of traditional statistical approaches. This session will introduce these ideas in a simple, intuitive, and scientifically grounded way through examples. Large randomized controlled trials may not always be feasible to answer important clinical questions due to ethical, logistical and/or financial reasons. Causal inference methods applied to data from large observational studies offer a valuable solution to such problems and opportunities to: 1) Distinguish correlation from cause and effect, 2) Design better studies, even using existing data, 3) Identify mechanisms that drive recovery or deterioration, 4) Evaluate the realworld impact of diagnostics, treatments, and rehabilitation strategies, 5) Discover new intervention targets by understanding how factors influence one another, and 6) Make more confident clinical and scientific inferences when randomized clinical trials are not possible. Participants will walk away with a practical understanding of how causal thinking can help us to better understand complex neurotrauma data, improve the studies they undertake, strengthen evidence, and ultimately guide decisionmaking. This session will show, through concrete examples, how these methods can meaningfully strengthen neurotrauma research.
S20 - Chair
Abel Torres Espin, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Waterloo
S20 - Chair
Marzieh Mussavi Rizi, Dr.
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Waterloo
S20.01 - An Introduction to Causal Inference
Andrea Schneider, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Pennsylvania
S20.02 - Neurotrauma, Inflammation and Patient Outcomes: Connecting the dots with Causal Inference
Romit Samanta, Dr.
Senior Research Fellow
University of Cambridge
S20.03 - Application of Dynamic Treatment Regimes for Personalized Hemodynamic Treatment in Spinal Cord Injury
Marzieh Mussavi Rizi, Dr.
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Waterloo
S20.04 - Discovering the Causal Dynamics of TBI from large datasets. Use Case in Sports Concussion with CARE data
Abel Torres Espin, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Waterloo
(SESSION)S21 - Novel Biomarkers for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury in the Eras of Precision Medicine and CBI-M
Session Description
Recovery from pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is driven by complex, dynamic biological processes that evolve over time, contributing to striking heterogeneity in outcomes that limits accurate prognostication and targeted treatment. In the era of precision medicine, existing physiological, neuroimaging, and protein biomarkers have fallen short in capturing this complexity particularly in children, highlighting the urgent need for novel and age-specific biomarkers to guide individualized care.
This need has become even more salient with the introduction of the CBI-M (Clinical, Biomarker, Imaging, Modifiers) framework, which emphasizes the integration of multimodal data to refine TBI classification, improve prognostic precision, and enhance trial design. Within this emerging framework, the dearth of validated pediatric biomarkers remains a critical research gap.
In this symposium, four investigators will present cutting-edge research in novel biomarkers of pediatric TBI, spanning preclinical and clinical studies. Biomarkers to be discussed include: (1) acute differential DNA methylation in the BDNF gene in children with TBI versus orthopedic injury; (2) multimodal biomarkers following experimental pediatric TBI: exploring molecular, physiological, and neurobehavioral domains during adolescence and adulthood phases, along with overlapping clinically-relevant factors such as early life stress or hypertension comorbidity; (3) age-related variations in expression of GFAP and UCHL1 following pediatric TBI; and (4) white matter maturation in children and juvenile mice with mild TBI. Strengths, limitations, and future directions for each biomarker will be considered in the context of advancing precision medicine for pediatric TBI and informing biomarker-driven components of the CBI-M framework.
S21 - Chair
Amery Treble-Barna, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh
S21.01 - Differential DNA Methylation of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene after Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Compared to Orthopedic Injury
Amery Treble-Barna, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh
S21.02 - Bridging Mechanisms and Medicine: Integrative Biomarkers and Therapeutic Advances after Pediatric Brain Trauma
Corina Bondi, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh
S21.03 - Exploring Age Specific Biomarker Expression in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Laura Blackwell, Dr.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Emory University
S21.04 - Altered White Matter Maturation After Concussion Linked to Anxious Behaviours in Children and Mice
Anne Wheeler, Dr.
Senior Scientist
Hospital For Sick Children
(SESSION)S22 - Axis of Recovery: Gut, Microbiome, and Nutrition after Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
Recent advances have highlighted the profound impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on gut function and microbiome composition, extending far beyond locomotor and sensory dysfunction. Building on this foundation, this session will explore the emerging science of the gut-brain and gut-lung axis in SCI, focusing on how disruptions in gastrointestinal function and microbiome composition can drive pathology and impede recovery both in animals and humans with SCI.
The symposium will examine how SCI-induced changes in gut integrity, motility, and microbial diversity and function contribute to lung pathology, systemic complications, metabolic dysfunction, and impaired neurorecovery. Attendees will gain insights into nutritional strategies, microbiome-targeted interventions, and innovative dietary approaches—such as ketogenic therapy—that hold promise for improving outcomes.
Our panel reflects the collaborative and inclusive spirit of the NNS meeting, featuring a diverse group of experts evenly split between females and males and representing all career stages in basic and clinical research—from medical student to senior faculty. This diversity ensures a rich exchange of perspectives and experiences, enhancing the depth and relevance of the discussion.
S22 - Chair
Ceren Yarar-Fisher, Assoc. Professor
Associate Professor/ Vice Chair Of Research
Ohio State University
S22.02 - The Gut-lung Axis in Lung Injury After Acute SCI
Helen Wei, Assistant Professor
Trauma and Acute Care Surgeon
University of Kentucky
S22.03 - The Impact of Ketogenic Diet on Neurorecovery in Acute SCI
Sana Chahande, Miss
Medical Student
Ohio State University
S22.04 - Nutritional Interventions Targeting Metabolism and Gut Microbiome after SCI
Ceren Yarar-Fisher, Assoc. Professor
Associate Professor/ Vice Chair Of Research
Ohio State University
(SESSION)S23 - Scientific Rigor or Mortis: Are the TBI Biomechanics of Our Models Clinically Valid?
Session Description:
The biomechanics of traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been studied for centuries. However, while the biomechanical parameters of some preclinical models have been clinically validated as have their resulting pathologies, many other models lack this critical clinical comparison. This session will explore biomechanical and neuropathological aspects of various common TBI preclinical models in context with current understanding of human TBI biomechanics and consequent neuropathologies. These models will include various forms of head rotational acceleration, cortical impact, fluid percussion and blast exposure in large and small animals in comparison to the corresponding human conditions. In addition to highlighting the historical and the latest relevant literature, we will provide new data including high-speed video and sensor recording of the preclinical TBI models and analyze how they scale, or don’t, to human TBI biomechanics.
S23 - Chair
Douglas Smith, Dr.
Groff Professor/Direcgtor
University Of Pennsylvania
S23.01 - Neuropathologies of Animal Models of TBI in Comparison to Human TBI
Hailong Song, Dr.
Instructor of Neurosurgery
University of Pennsylvania
S23.02 - Multiscale Modeling of TBI
Barclay Morrison III, Dr.
Professor
Columbia University
S23.03 - High Speed vVdeo and Sensor Analyses of Animal Models of TBI and Relevance to Human TBI Conditions
Cameron ’Dale’ Bass, Dr.
Professor
Wayne State University
S23.04 - TBI Biomechanics and Calibration of Animal Models to Human Conditions
David Meaney, Dr.
S.r. Pollack Professor
University of Pennsylvania
(SESSION)S24 - Advances in Cell Therapy for Neural Repair
Session Description
This proposed session will present the latest advancements in cell-based therapies for spinal cord repair, featuring a panel of leading investigators spanning stem cell engineering, pre-clinical transplantation, large-animal translation, and clinical implementation. Cell therapy has emerged as one of the most promising strategies for restoring neural circuitry after spinal cord injury, supported by robust experimental evidence and accelerating translational progress. Co-chaired by Drs. Michael Fehlings (University of Toronto) and Michael Lane (Drexel University), the session will highlight how innovations in stem cell biology, neural engineering, and combinatorial therapeutic strategies are converging to advance spinal cord repair. Presentations will address recent breakthroughs in neuronal progenitor engineering, donor–host integration, large-animal validation, and clinical translation, with emphasis on how targeted cell transplantation paired with supportive interventions can promote durable neural repair and functional recovery.
S24 - Chair
Michael Lane, Assoc. Professor
Associate Professor
Drexel University
S24 - Chair
Michael Fehlings, Dr.
Professor
University of Toronto
S24.01 - Neuromodulation for Harnessing Donor-Cell Activity and Networking After Spinal Cord Injury
Lyandysha Zholudeva, Dr.
Research Investigator
Gladstone Institutes
S24.02 - TBD
Michael Lane, Assoc. Professor
Associate Professor
Drexel University
S24.03 - Extensive Restoration of Forelimb Function in Primates With Spinal Cord Injury by Neural Stem Cell Transplantation
Eleni Sinopoulou, Dr.
Assistant Project Scientist
University of California, San Diego
S24.04 - Evaluating Synaptic Integration of Transplanted Engineered Neural Stem Cells in Spinal Cord Injury
Zijian Lou, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Toronto
(SESSION)Closing Ceremony
-
Aaron Gallagher, Dr.
Neurology Resident Physician
University Of Washington Department Of Neurology
-
Aaron Mickle, Associate Professor
Associate Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Abel Torres Espin, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Waterloo
-
Adam Ferguson, Dr.
Professor And Co-director Of The Brain And Spinal Injury Center (BASIC)
UCSF-BASIC
-
Adriana Simpson, Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
-
Ahmed Altaf, Dr
Research Specialist
University Of Pennsylvania
-
Ahnsei Shon, Dr.
Research Scientist
University Of Louisville
-
Ainsley Kindred, Ms.
Postbaccalaureate Trainee
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Akram Esfandani, Dr.
Phd Student
Texas A&M University
-
Alexa Hutzenbiler, Dr.
Postdoctoral Neuropsychology Fellow
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
-
Alexandra Dorinsky, Ms.
Research Technician
The Ohio State University
-
Alexia Hyde, Ms
Senior Research Associate
Henry Jackson Foundation
-
Alexis McAlister, Ms.
Graduate Student
Texas A&M University
-
Ali Izadi, Dr.
Assistant Professional Researcher
UC Davis
-
Alicia Bea Feichtenbiner, Miss
Graduate Student
University of Southern California
-
Allison Porter, Ms.
Phd Student
East Carolina University
-
Alyson R. Stewart, Ms.
Phd Student
University Of Colorado
-
Alyssa Franklin, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Kentucky
-
Amanda Glueck, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Kentucky
-
Amery Treble-Barna, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh
-
Ami Raval, Dr
Research Professor
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
-
Amy Wagner, Professor
University of Pittsburgh
-
Anastasia Georges, Mrs.
Research Specialist
University Of Pennsylvania
-
Andre Obenaus, Dr.
Dr.
University of California Riverside
-
Andrea Burnette, Mrs
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Andrea Lugo, Ms.
Doctoral Student
University of Colorado- Boulder
-
Andrea Schneider, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Pennsylvania
-
Andres Nunez, Mr.
Research Assistant
TBI Research Initiative
-
Andrew Gaudet, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Texas at Austin
-
Andrew Spence, Professor
Professor Of Neuroengineering
Temple University
-
Angela Filous, Dr.
Assistant Professor
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Department of Neurology; Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, The Oh
-
Anna Mueller, Ms.
Research Assistent
University Of Pennsylvania
-
Anne Wheeler, Dr.
Senior Scientist
Hospital For Sick Children
-
Anthony Kontos, Dr.
Professor/vice Chair Of Clinical Research
University Of Pittsbugh School Of Medicine
-
Antje Kroner, Dr.
Associate Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Ariell Dunkley, Ms.
Lab Technician
University Of Kentucky
-
Arum Lim, Dr.
Post-doctoral Researcher
Johns Hopkins University
-
Ashutosh Yende, Dr.
Scientist
HJF - Uniformed Services University
-
Audrey Lafrenaye, Dr.
Associate Professor
VCU
-
Ava Puccio, Dr.
Co-director Neurotrauma Cliniacl Trials Center
University Of Pittsburgh, Department Of Neurosurgery
-
Aysu Kollu, Ms
MSc student
University of Toronto
-
Azeez Abdul, Mr.
Medical Student
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
-
Barclay Morrison III, Dr.
Professor
Columbia University
-
Benjamin Brett, Dr.
Research Faculty/clinical Neuropsychologist
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Bernadette D'Alonzo, Dr
NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow
University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine
-
Beth Costine-Bartell, Dr.
Assistant Professor
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
-
Brad Hubbard, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky
-
Bradley Smith, Mr.
Graduate Research Associate
Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences
-
Brenda E. Lujan, Mrs.
Research Assistant
University of Arizona
-
Brian Stemper, Dr.
Biomedical Engineering
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Brock Gjesdal, Mr.
Medical Student
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Bruce Citron, Dr.
Geneticist
Va New Jersey Health Care System
-
C. Edward Dixon, Dr.
Neurotrauma Chair
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Caela C. Long, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Pennsylvania
-
Cameron ’Dale’ Bass, Dr.
Professor
Wayne State University
-
Candace Floyd, Dr.
Professor
Emory University, VA Atlanta Health Care
-
Carolyn Sparrey, Assoc. Professor
Simon Fraser University - Surrey Campus
-
Cathra Halabi, Dr.
Associate Professor of Neurology
UCSF
-
Ceren Yarar-Fisher, Assoc. Professor
Associate Professor/ Vice Chair Of Research
Ohio State University
-
Cheryl Wellington, Dr
Profoessor And Vice Chair Research
University Of British Columbia
-
Choong Hyo Kim, Dr
MD, PhD
Kangwon National University
-
Christine Gotthardt, Ms.
Clinical Research Supervisor
University of California, San Francisco
-
Christopher Foote, Dr.
Asst. Research Prof.
University of Missouri
-
Christopher Roberts, Dr.
Staff Physician
Clement J. Zablocki VAMC
-
Chunyan Li, Associate Professor
Associate Professor
The Feinstein Institutes For Medical Research
-
Claire Langle, Mrs
PhD Student
French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute
-
Cody Hubbard, Mr.
Graduate Student
Indiana University
-
Cole Vonder Haar, Dr.
Associate Professor
Ohio State University
-
Corey Stewart, Mr.
Graduate Student Research Assistant
University Of Michigan
-
Corina Bondi, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Pittsburgh
-
Cortney Laye, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Kentucky
-
Courtney Barry, Dr
Clinical Psychologist
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Courtney Dumont, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Miami
-
D. Kacy Cullen, Professor
Professor of Neurosurgery & Bioengineering
University of Pennsylvania
-
Dakota Robison, Mr.
Graduate Student
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
-
Dana Cairns, Dr.
Research Associate
Tufts University
-
Daniel Griffiths, Mr.
Research Area Specialist
Michigan Medicine
-
Daniel Hellenbrand, Dr.
Scientist II
Daniel Hellenbrand
-
Daniel Zhang, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
Georgia Institute of Technology
-
Daniela Garcia Prada, Mrs.
PhD Stududent
Rush University
-
Daniela Lecca, Dr.
Scientist
Henry M Jackson Foundation
-
Danielle Sandsmark, Dr.
Associate Professor Of Neurology
University Of Pennsylvania
-
Daryl Fields, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Florida
-
David Caldwell, Dr.
Neurosurgery Resident
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco
-
David Castro, Mr.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of California, San Francisco
-
David Darrow, Dr.
Neurosurgeon
University of Minnesota/Hennepin Healthcare
-
David Meaney, Dr.
S.r. Pollack Professor
University of Pennsylvania
-
Deborah Huang, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurology
University of Chicago
-
Deepak Subramanian, Dr
Asst. Professional Researcher
University Of California - Riverside
-
Denes Agoston, Dr.
Professor
Uniformed Health Sciences University
-
Derrick Shaughnessy, Dr
Postdoctoral Fellow
Uniformed Services University, Health Sciences
-
Dhruv Subramanian, Mr.
Student researcher
The Quarry Lane School
-
Diego Martell, Mr.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University Of California, San Francisco
-
Dingyi Pei, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
-
Disa Sullivan, Ms
Phd Candidate
University Of Minnesota
-
Dominic Nthenge-Ngumbau, Dr.
Postdoctoral Scholar
University of Kentucky
-
Douglas Smith, Dr.
Groff Professor/Direcgtor
University Of Pennsylvania
-
Dylan McCreedy, Dr.
Assistant Professor
Texas A&M University
-
Ektha Parchuri, Ms.
Medical Student
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Eleni Moschonas, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Eleni Sinopoulou, Dr.
Assistant Project Scientist
University of California, San Diego
-
Elise Webber, Ms.
Graduate Student
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
-
Elizabeth Bottorff, Dr.
Postdoc Fellow
University of Minnesota
-
Elizabeth McCarthy, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Henry Jackson Foundation
-
Emily Haag, Ms
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Minnesota
-
Emily Seay, Ms.
Senior Laboratory Technician
Virginia Commonwealth University
-
Emma Augustine, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Emma Moravec, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Enya Caballero, Ms.
Research Assistant 1
USUHS
-
Enyinna Nwachuku, Assistant Professor
Neurosurgeon
Penn State Health
-
Eric J. Sánchez Ayala, Mr.
Student
University Of Puerto Rico At Cayey
-
Eric Liu, Mr.
Research Intern
Ward Melville High School; Stony Brook University
-
Erica Dale, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Florida
-
Erica Joo, Ms.
Research Assistant I
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)
-
Erskine Chu, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow
The Ohio State University
-
Esther Drinkard, Mrs.
Laboratory Technician
University of Kentucky
-
Farah Kamar, Ms.
MD/PhD Student
Western University
-
Fateme Khodadadi-Mericle, Dr
Associate professor
University of Missouri - Columbia
-
Felix Sanchez, Mr.
Graduate Assistant
Marquette University
-
Fikir Arega, Ms.
Research Associate
The Ohio State University
-
Firas Kobaissy, Professor
Professor
Morehouse school of medicine
-
Francesco Roselli, Professor, Dr.
Prof. Dr.
Ulm University
-
François Labadie, Mr.
Undergraduate student
University of Colorado
-
Gabriel Nah, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Colorado
-
Gabriela Brown, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Kentucky
-
Gene Gurkoff, Professor
Professor
University of California, Davis; Dept. Neurological Surgery
-
Geoffrey Manley, Dr.
Professor
University of California San Francisco
-
George Cottle, Mr
Research Associate
The Roskamp Institute
-
Gershon Spitz, Dr.
Senior Research Fellow
Monash University
-
Goknur Kara, Dr.
Research Associate
Houston Methodist Research Institute
-
Gordon Mitchell, Professor
Center Director
University of Florida
-
Grace Griesbach, Dr.
National Director Clinical Research
Centre For Neuro Skills
-
Hailong Song, Dr.
Instructor of Neurosurgery
University of Pennsylvania
-
Halvor Solheim, Mr.
Medical student
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
-
Hana Schwierling, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Cincinnati
-
Haojie Mao, Dr.
Associate Professor
Western University
-
Haylee Hulihee, Ms.
Laboratory Technician
Marquette University
-
Helen Wei, Assistant Professor
Trauma and Acute Care Surgeon
University of Kentucky
-
Helena Oft, Ms
MD PhD Student
University of Pittsburgh
-
Hongmei Yang, Dr.
Research Fellow
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
-
Hope Nyarady, Miss.
Graduate Student Research Assistant
University At Buffalo
-
Ian Diaz Nieves, Mr.
PhD Candidate
University of Pennsylvania
-
Ima Ebong, Dr.
University of Kentucky, Department of Neurology
-
Ina B. Wanner, Dr.
Associate Research Neuroscientist
UCLA, Geffen Sch Medicine, Semel Institute, IDDRC
-
Jaclyn Caccese, Dr.
Associate Professor
The Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
-
Jaclyn Iannucci, Dr.
Research Scientist
TAMU
-
Jacob Exline, Mr.
PhD Candidate
Loyola University Chicago
-
Jae Lee, Dr.
Professor
University of Miami, Department of Neurological Surgery
-
Jai Trivedi, Mr.
Research Coordinator
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
-
Jarair Tahsin, Mr.
Medical Student
Suny Downstate Health Sciences University
-
Jason Stoffer, Mr.
Advocacy Director
Unite 2 Fight Paralysis
-
Jaycie Gard, Ms.
Student
University Of Kentucky
-
Jeffrey Bazarian, Dr.
Professor of Emergency Medicine & Neurology
University of Rochester
-
Jeffrey Shipley, Dr.
Emergency Medicine Resident
The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
-
Jenna McCloskey, Ms.
Ph.D. Student
University of Michigan
-
Jennifer Dulin, Dr.
Associate Professor
Texas A&M University
-
Jenny Jang, Ms.
Research Scientist
University of Washington
-
Jessica Towns, Ms
PhD Candidate
Stanford University
-
Jie Fan, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Michigan, Dearborn
-
Johana Bastidas, Dr
Principle Scientist, Neuro Pharmacology
Psychogenics, Inc
-
John Alice, Mr.
Student
Johns Hopkins University
-
John Fedak, Mr.
Research Assistant
University Of Pittsburgh
-
John Gensel, Professor
Professor, Department of Physiology
University Of Kentucky
-
John Katana, Mr.
Research Associate
The Roskamp Institute, Inc.
-
John Wolf, Dr.
Assoc. Professor
University of Pennsylvania
-
John Yue, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
University Of California, San Francisco
-
Jordan Fuhrman, Dr.
Research Scientist
University Of Chicago
-
Jorge Robles Solivan, Mr.
Medical Student
University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine
-
Joseph Fajobi, Mr
Graduate Research Assistant
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
-
Joseph Muckle, Mr
Masters Student
University Of Colorado Boulder
-
Josh Morganti, Dr.
Associate Professor
University Of Kentucky
-
Joshua Medow, Professor
Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Biomedical Engineering
Medical College of Wisconsin / Froedtert Health
-
Joshua Moses, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Kentucky
-
Joyce Opara, Dr
Fellow Neuropathology
University Of Washington
-
Julie Rios, Associate Professor
Division Director
Magee Women's Research Institute
-
Justin Burrell, Dr.
Research Associate
University of Pennsylvania
-
Justin Desprebiteres, Mr
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of Pennsylvania
-
Kaelin Sbrocco, Ms.
Anatomy & Neurobiology PhD Student
Boston University
-
Kaleb Miles, Mr.
Graduate Student
Mayo Clinic
-
Kali Palen, Mrs.
Clinical Research Assistant III
Medical College of WI
-
Kapinga Ngalula, Dr.
Scientist
Nmrc/hjf
-
Karinn Sytsma, Ms.
Research Scientist
University of Washington
-
Karisa Louangprasert, Ms
Postbaccalaureate Research Laboratory Technician
University of Michigan - Michigan Medicine
-
Karlo Pedro, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Toronto
-
Katarina Cook, Ms
MD/PhD Student
School of Medicine, University of California, Davis
-
Kathleen Specht, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Cincinnati
-
Kathryn Lenz, Dr.
Associate Professor
The Ohio State University
-
Kathryn Park, Ms.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of California, San Francisco
-
Katie Edwards, Dr.
Research Associate
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
-
Kazuya Matsuo, DR.
Associate Proffessor / Lecturer
Kobe University Graduate School of medicine
-
Kenneth Fond, Mr
Software developer/analyst
UCSF Brain and Spinal Injury Center
-
Kevin Wang, Professor
Executive Director of Translational and Multi-Omic Medicine
Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution (FfAME)
-
Khalil Mallah, Dr.
Assistant Professor
Medical University of South Carolina
-
Kirill Shumilov Bartenev, Dr
Senior Postdoctorall Fellow
Virginia Commonwealth University
-
Kirsten Krick, Ms.
Medical Student
Upstate Medical University
-
Kirsty Dixon, Dr.
Associate Professor
Virginia Commonwealth University
-
Kristi Streeter, Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Marquette University
-
L. Kim Chung, Dr
Neuropathology Fellow
University Of Washington
-
Lanya Tianhao Cai, Dr.
Associate Specialist
University of California San Francisco
-
Laura Blackwell, Dr.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist
Emory University
-
Laura McGuigan, Ms.
Graduate Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Laura Ngwenya, Dr.
Professor
University of Cincinnati
-
Laura Tucker, Ms.
Professor & Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
-
Laura Zima, Dr.
NSGY Resident
UT Houston
-
Lauren Duma, Ms.
Graduate Student
Virginia Tech
-
Lauren Rooks, Mrs.
PhD Student
Indiana University
-
Leila Etemad, Ms.
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Levi Wood, Dr.
Associate Professor
Georgia Institute Of Technology
-
Lilesh Pradhan, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Indiana University School of Medicine
-
Limin Wu, Dr
Instructor
Mgh
-
Linda Karlsson, Ms
Phd Student
Karolinska Institutet
-
Lindsay Nelson, Professor
Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Logan Friedrich, Mr.
Graduate Student
Marquette University
-
Logan Read, Mr.
Graduate Student
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Lyandysha Zholudeva, Dr.
Research Investigator
Gladstone Institutes
-
Madeleine Nowak, Dr.
Postdoc Fellow
VA Boston
-
Madeline Furie, Mx
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Madison Kilgore, Ms.
Graduate Research Assisstant
University of Kentucky
-
Madison Wypyski, Ms.
Graduate Research Assistant
Virginia Tech
-
Malcolm Udeozor, Mr.
MD/PhD Student
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
-
Martin Oudega, Dr.
Professor
Northwestern University
-
Mary Simons, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow In Pediatric Neuropsychology
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Marzieh Mussavi Rizi, Dr.
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Waterloo
-
Matias Mendez, Mr.
Graduate student research assistant
University of Colorado Boulder
-
Matthew Budde, Dr.
Associate Professor
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Matthew Harper, Dr.
Associate Professor
University of Iowa
-
Matthew Pease, Assoc. Professor
Neurosurgeon
IU
-
Maykeling Arauz, Ms.
Graduate Student
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
-
Md Adil Arman, Mr.
Phd Student
Florida International University
-
Megan Huibregtse, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
-
Michael Fehlings, Dr.
Professor
University of Toronto
-
Michael Gower, Dr.
Research Scientist
Columbia VA Medical Center
-
Michael Grovola, Dr.
Senior Scientist
University of Pennsylvania
-
Michael Kyweriga, Dr.
Scientist II
Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center
-
Michael Lane, Assoc. Professor
Associate Professor
Drexel University
-
Michael Mccrea, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Michelle Taylor, Ms.
Graduate Student
Virginia Commonwealth University
-
Michelle Theus, Professor
Professor
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine Virginia Talk
-
Mikaela Sullivan, Ms.
Clinical Research Assitant
Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Mikaila Cutone-Dion, Ms.
Clinical Research Coordinator
University of California San Francisco
-
Miranda Koloski, Dr.
Assistant Professor
VA San Diego
-
Mitchell Andersson, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Mohammad Ghodsi, Mr.
Graduate Student
University of British Columbia
-
Mohammed Amir Husain, Dr.
Postdoc
University Of Alabama At Birmingham
-
Monica Perez, Professor
Scientific Chair, Arms + Hands Abilitylab
Northwestern University
-
Monique Mitchell, Dr.
Research Fellow
University of New England
-
Murray Blackmore, Dr.
Professor
Marquette University
-
Mya Suneja, Ms.
Undergrad/Trainee
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Nadine Kerr, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Miami Miller School of Medicie
-
Naomi Sayre, Dr.
Assistant Professor
UT Health San Antonio
-
Natalie Ivey, Dr.
PGY-4
University Of Cincinnati Medical Center
-
Natalie Jenkins, Dr.
Post-doctoral Fellow
Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai
-
Neel Jani, Dr.
Resident Physician
University Of Wisconsin
-
Neil Harris, Professor
Professor
UCLA and LA VA
-
Nicolas Fandrich, Mr.
Division Chief, PCCM
Texas Tech Hsc
-
Nicolo Macellari, Dr.
Postdoctoral Scholar
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Nija White, Ms.
Phd Candidate
Florida International University
-
Nikolaas Steele, Mr.
Student
University of Colorado Boulder
-
Nishani Hewage, Dr.
Trauma Surgeon
Valleywise Health Medical Center
-
Nishta Amin, Ms.
Graduate Research Fellow
Georgia State University
-
Nsini Umoh, Dr.
NIH
-
Nurul Sulimai, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
-
Olga Kokiko-Cochran, Dr.
Associate Professor
The Ohio State University
-
Oliver L'Esperance, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Henry M. Jackson Foundation
-
Paloma Bittencourt-Silva, Dr.
Postdoc
Marquette University
-
Pamela Shelby Prieto Del Rivero, Mrs.
Phd Student
Rush University
-
Pamela VandeVord, Professor
Professor
Salem VAMC
-
Panini Patankar, Dr
Graduate Research Assistant
Oklahoma University Health Science Center
-
Patrick Belton, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery
University of Wisconsin - Madison
-
Paul Territo, Dr.
Professor of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
-
Peethambaran Arun, Dr
Research Biologist
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
-
Philip Ostrov, Dr.
Neurosurgery Resident
University of Louisville
-
Phillip Popovich, Dr.
Professor And Chair
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
-
Preeja Chandran, Dr
Postdoctoral fellow
University of Louisville
-
Rachel Barkey, Dr.
Scientist
Henry Jackson Foundation
-
Rachel Rowe, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado Boulder
-
Radina Lilova, Ms.
Graduate Student
Virginia Commonwealth University
-
Rahat Ullah, Dr
Postdoc Research Fellow
The University of Oklahoma
-
Ramesh Raghupathi, Dr.
Professor
Drexel University
-
Ramon Diaz-arrastia, Professor
Director of Clinical TBI Research Initiative
University of Pennsylvania
-
Raymond Yeung, Dr.
Lab Assistant 2
University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine
-
Razieh Jaberi, Dr
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of California Riverside
-
Reagan Speas, Ms.
Graduate Student
University of Michigan
-
Rebecca Boland, Ms.
Graduate Research Associate
Ohio State University
-
Reena Kumari, Dr.
Scientist
University of Kentucky
-
Regina Armstrong, Dr.
Dept Chair
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
-
Rida Ismail, Ms.
Lab Manager, Incoming Medical Student
University of California, Los Angeles
-
Riley Morrone, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
-
Riyi Shi, Professor
Mari Hulman George Endowed Professor Of Applied Neuroscience
Purdue University
-
Robert Kotloski, Dr
physician
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
-
Romit Samanta, Dr.
Senior Research Fellow
University of Cambridge
-
Russell Huie, Dr.
Associate Professional Researcher
University of California San Francisco and SF VA
-
Ryan Dorrian, Dr.
Post Doctoral Researcher
Adelaide University
-
Ryan Luke Sodemann, Mr.
Research Assistant
Boston Children's Hospital
-
Sabrina Abbruzzese, Ms.
Data Analyst
University of Pennsylvania
-
Sajeev Kaur, Dr.
Post Doctoral Fellow
University of Kentucky
-
Samantha DeVillers, Ms.
Medical Student
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Samuel Husarik, Mr.
Research Assistant
University Of Washington
-
Samuel Shin, Dr
Assistant Professor
University of Pennsylvania
-
Sana Chahande, Miss
Medical Student
Ohio State University
-
Sandy Shultz, Professor
Laboratory Head
Monash University/University of Victoria
-
Sarah Svirsky, Dr.
Postdoctoral Scholar
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Scott Hamilton, Mr.
Managing Director
Brain Care Catalyst Foundation
-
Sean Inzerillo, Mr.
Medical Student
SUNY Downstate College of Medicine
-
Shadi Dayeh, Prof.
University of California, San Diego
-
Shameeke Taylor, Dr.
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Mt Sinai, Department of Emergency Medicine
-
Shannon Kafura, Ms
Graduate student
Medical College of WI
-
Sharon Juliano, Dr.
Professor of Neuroscience
USUHS
-
Shawn Eagle, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University Of Pittsburgh
-
Shotaro Saito, Dr.
Physician
UT Southwestern Medical Center
-
Sonali Choudhury, Mrs.
PhD candidate
University Of Kansas Medical Center
-
Sophia Galleguillos, Mrs.
Master's Student
University Of California, Riverside
-
Sophie Stukas, Dr.
Research Director
University of British Columbia
-
Soshi Samejima, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Washington
-
Stephen Ferrando, Dr.
Chairman, Department Of Psychiatry
Westchester Mesical Center Health Network
-
Steven Broglio, Dr
Director and Assoc Dean
Michigan Concussion Center
-
Subash Bhandari, Dr.
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Pennsylvania
-
Suhrud Rajguru, Dr.
Professor
University Of Miami
-
Sunghyun Jun, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
USUHS
-
Susan Shin, Ms.
Student
University of Pennsylvania
-
Susana R Cerqueira, Dr.
Research Assistant Professor
Clemson University
-
Sushant Prajapati, Mr.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Kentucky
-
Sydney Vita, Dr.
Assistant Professor
LSUHSC - New Orleans
-
Syed Aasish Roshan, Dr.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Marquette University
-
Taotao Wu, Dr.
Assistant Professor
University of Georgia
-
Tara Nash, Mrs.
Research Clinician
HHRI
-
Taylor LePage, Mrs
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Georgia- Regenerative Bioscience Center
-
Tayo Obafemi-ajayi, Dr.
Faculty
Missouri State University
-
Temitayo Okusanya, Ms.,
Doctoral Candidate
Medical College of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, WI
-
Theresa Currier Thomas, Dr
Associate Professor
University of South Florida
-
Thomas Sutula, Dr.
Emeritus
Dept. of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
-
Timi Akinwunmi-williams, Mr.
Medical Student
Morehouse School of Medicine
-
Timothy Meier, Dr.
Professor
Medical College Of Wisconsin
-
Tracey Wick, Mr.
Research Analyst
Mind Research Network
-
Upasana Nathaniel, Dr
Program Manager
Mind Research Network
-
Usmah Kawoos, Dr
Scientific Director
Henry Jackson Foundation
-
Velmurugan Gopal Viswanathan, Dr
Assistant Professor
University Of Kentucky
-
Victor Rodgers, Dr.
Professor
University of California
-
Volha Liaudanskaya, Dr
Assistant Professor
University Of Cincinnati
-
Wan Lin Chen, Dr.
Dr.
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital
-
William Stewart, Professor
Consultant Neuropathologist
NHS GGC
-
Yan Dong, Dr.
Research Fellow
Boston Children's Hospital
-
Yanlu Zhang, Dr.
Assistant Scientist
Henry Ford Health
-
Yasmin Moghaddam, Ms.
Phd Candidate
University of California Davis
-
Yi Lu, Dr.
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Mass General Brigham
-
Yung-Hsiao Chiang, Dr.
Superintendent
Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University
-
Zachary Campbell, Mr
Medical Student
Medical College of Wisconsin
-
Zijian Lou, Dr.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Toronto
-
Zimei Wang, Dr.
Scientist
Marquette University
-
Zin Khaing, Dr.
Associate professor
University of Louisville
Monday
(SESSION)NNS Fun Run
(SESSION)Opening Ceremony
(SESSION)KN01 - Lived Experience Keynote
Session Description
KNO1.01 - Belief, Connection, Resilience, and Time. What Recovery After Brain Injury Often Requires.
Recovery after many brain injuries unfolds over years, not weeks. Drawing on qualitative research as well as two decades of lived experience recovering from a severe traumatic brain injury, this keynote explores the human capacities that make long-term healing possible: belief, connection, resilience, and agency. It examines why post-acute care can produce better outcomes by deliberately strengthening these capacities. Recovery demands systems designed not just for survival, but for adaptation, meaning, and sustained engagement over time.
KN01.02 - Utilizing the Under-rated Resource of Lived-experience as an ally for Funding, Informing Research Priorities, and Building a case for Urgency.
Topics to be discussed:
-Illustrating the "inaccessibility cycle" using our first-ever Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon handcycle attempt and its parallels to finding a seat at the table of research.
-The U2FP LabRats lab consultant program as an example of utilizing lived-experience to inform "community impact", research priorities, clinical study design, and study recruitment/retainment
-Our work to support researchers through state-level research grant bills, including our current effort in WI.
-Our work to defend research investment at the Federal level: the fight to save DOD SCIRP and the broader CDMRP
-A call to rethink urgency, incentives and organization and coordination of siloed research toward a functional recovery endpoint.
(SESSION)P0A: Poster Group A
(SESSION)KN02 - Translating Tau to the Touchline: A Cells to Society Approach to TBI Research
(SESSION)DB01 - Data Blitz Mini Oral Presentations
(SESSION)S01 - Toward a Better Understanding of the Effects of mTBI on Women: A Neurobiological Perspective
Session Description:
This symposium aims to analyze emerging evidence for the effects of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) on women using a neurobiological framework. In the first presentation, we will describe and discuss the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis in relation to the effects of mTBI on women. In the second presentation, we will present and analyze emerging neurobiological (e.g., clinical/behavioral, blood, urine) findings from the ongoing longitudinal Women’s Multi-domain Evaluation of Neurobiological Health Concussion (WOMEN’S Health Concussion) study. We will highlight the short (90 days) and long-term (12 months) sexual, reproductive, and behavioral health outcomes from this study. In the third presentation, we will examine emerging findings from a new study of the role of pubertal development on sex differences in mTBI outcomes in adolescents. In the final presentation, we will discuss sex differences in outcomes associated with both sport-related concussion and repetitive head impacts including multidomain clinical/behavioral and neuroimaging outcomes. Throughout the symposium, we will emphasize how the information from these presentations can be leveraged to translate research into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes for women with mTBI. At the conclusion of this symposium, attendees will be able to apply the information to inform an evidence-based, multidomain assessment and targeted treatment approach to women with mTBI. Attendees will also have a better understanding of the neurobiological effects of mTBI on mechanistic pathways related to women’s health outcomes following mTBI.
(SESSION)S02 - From Talking About It to Doing It: The New CBI-M Framework for Characterization of Acute TBI
Session Description:
The proposed symposium will feature presentations on real-world application of the new CBI-M framework from the National Institutes of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) for characterization of acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). The CBI-M model is the resultant of a NINDS-sponsored, consensus-driven process that involved over 100 clinical, research, and lived experience experts in TBI. A chief aim of this initiative was to overcome limitations inherent to the conventional nomenclature of “mild, moderate, severe” TBI. The new multi-dimensional CBI-M framework incorporates four pillars: Clinical (full Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] and pupillary reactivity), Biomarkers (blood-based biomarkers), Imaging (pathoanatomical features), and Modifiers (patient, injury and environmental factors that influence clinical presentation and outcome). From the start, the NINDS effort emphasized strategies for implementation of the CBI-M to maximize its impact in clinical care and research trials in brain injury medicine. To that end, this session will focus on efforts toward advancing the CBI-M from concept to application. In addition to introducing the overall CBI-M framework, presentations will focus on validation, translation, and implementation of the CBI-M pillars in research and clinical settings. Challenges in implementation and future directions of the CBI-M will be highlighted. A moderated discussion period will encourage input from the audience of TBI professionals and individuals with lived experience on the CBI-M model and its implementation in brain injury research and care.
(SESSION)S03 - From Bench to Bedside: Understanding Successes and Failures of Clinical Trials in Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
Neurotrauma is a rich field with a robust network of basic science and clinical researchers. Despite large gains in our understanding of the mechanisms of traumatic brain (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) over the past few decades, this has largely not translated into novel therapeutics to improve patient care. Neurotrauma as a field is plagued by high-profile, negative trials. These trials have failed for a variety of reasons, including suboptimal trial design, challenges with identifying proper outcome measures, poor patient selection, and challenges translating bedside therapeutics into the clinical space. In this session, we will review the progress made in recent SCI and TBI clinical trials, as well as their methodological shortcomings. We will explore how researchers have brought promising bedside therapeutics into the clinical space, and the challenges they have faced. Additional talks will present a case example translating the basic science findings in spreading depolarizations into actionable clinical protocols to build out a clinical trial. We will look at brain tissue oxygenation, and how clinical trial structure led to one negative trial. Other, better designed trials offer promise. Lastly, we will review TRACK-NET, a clinical trials network for TBI. This network is the future for translating the basic and clinical findings into rapid turnover clinical trials to improve outcomes for our patients. Ultimately, while basic science research provides promising results, we must, as a field, improve our ability to translate these findings into clinical trials to improve outcomes in our patients.
(SESSION)S04 - Combinatorial Strategies in Spinal Cord Injury: Progress and Perspectives
Session Description:
Extensive preclinical research has shown that most effective therapies for spinal cord injury repair rely on combinatorial approaches that target multiple aspects of spinal cord injury pathology. These strategies often integrate exercise-based rehabilitation to optimize functional recovery and circuit remodeling. In contrast, most clinical trials in individuals with spinal cord injury have relied on single interventions, and when combinations are used, one typically involves rehabilitation. The goal of our session is to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress achieved through combinatorial approaches, highlight current translational challenges, and discuss strategies to advance clinical applications for improving patient outcomes. Michael Fehlings will discuss translational regenerative approaches for chronic cervical spinal cord injury using engineered neural stem cells. Dr. Jennifer Dulin will discuss how functional efficacy of neural stem cells transplantation is bolstered by activity-based rehabilitation in rodent models. Dr. Gordon Mitchell will discuss an emerging combinatorial strategy to recover respiratory and non-respiratory motor function in people with SCI: acute intermittent hypoxia (tAIH) followed by task specific training. Whereas there is a clear need for combined tAIH plus task specific training to improve locomotion, it is less clear with respiratory motor function. Dr. Monica Perez will discuss how combinatorial therapies targeting spinal plasticity, integrating neurostimulation, pharmacological agents, and exercise-based rehabilitation, to enhance recovery following chronic SCI. Each speaker will integrate the knowledge presented into a unifying discussion on how combinatorial approaches can be used to maximize functional restoration after SCI.
(SESSION)S05 - Innovative Biomaterial-Based Approaches for Neurotrauma Repair
Session Description
Recent advances in biomaterial engineering are redefining therapeutic options for repairing the injured central nervous system. From nanotherapeutics to engineered cell-supportive matrices and cell-targeting systems, biomaterials are providing innovative solutions to overcome common barriers to neurological treatment, such as poor drug bioavailability, limited tissue integration, inefficient targeting, and off-target effects. Our session brings together leading researchers developing next-generation biomaterials and delivery systems that integrate biological, chemical, and physical design principles to promote tissue repair and functional recovery. We will explore the use of injectable biomaterials, fibrous-based platforms, modular multi-scale biomaterial and combinatorial therapies to repair the injured neural tissue. Collectively, these presentations will highlight how innovative biomaterial systems can modulate the cellular microenvironment, enhance therapeutic precision, and accelerate the clinical translation of regenerative technologies for patients with neurotrauma.
(SESSION)S06 - Cellular Crosstalk and Collective Contributions to Tissue Damage after Neurotrauma
Session Description
The goal of this session is to provide insight into the diverse function and cell-cell interactions of neurons, glia and immune cells after spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). It will address the question how central nervous system (CNS) resident and invading cell types interact and contribute to outcomes after neurotrauma.
This session will focus on cell types contributing to the inflammatory response and neuronal damage. The speakers will analyze the interaction of innate and adaptive immune cells after TBI, discuss neuron-intrinsic immune mechanisms, present data on pericyte function in neurotrauma-responses and scrutinize the distinct properties of fibroblasts after CNS injury.
This seminar will provide a big-picture overview into the extent of cellular reactivity and interactions in neurotrauma.
(SESSION)Monday - Exhibition and Poster Reception - Poster Group A (POA)
Tuesday
(SESSION)NNS Business Breakfast Meeting
(SESSION)KN03 - From Lesion to System: Prioritizing Autonomic Circuit Repair in Spinal Cord Injury Management
From Lesion to System: Prioritizing Autonomic Circuit Repair in Spinal Cord Injury Management
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) at or above T6 causes dysautonomia, a syndrome of organ pathophysiology that significantly impairs quality of life. While research often prioritizes locomotor recovery, people with SCI frequently rank autonomic complications as a higher priority. This lecture explores how "lesion-remote" spinal remodeling—driven by spinal interneurons and microglia—causes pathological circuit assembly. These maladaptive circuits drive immune dysfunction across diverse organs and likely underlie well known clinical complications (e.g., immune dysfunction, pneumonia, impaired wound healing) and prognostic indicators (high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, dysbiosis) of poor outcome after SCI. We will discuss how targeting these maladaptive circuits, using experimental tools that may serve as indicators for the successful implementation of bioelectric medicine in humans or currently available drugs, might help prevent or mitigate the consequences of these systemic comorbidities.
(SESSION)POB - Poster Group B
(SESSION)PL01 - Award Winners Session
(SESSION)Lunch with Neurotrauma Survivors
(SESSION)NIH Funding Opportunities
(SESSION)PL02: Latent Neurotropic Pathogens as Modifiers of Brain Injury Pathophysiology and Recovery
Session Description:
The pathophysiology of TBI is complex, and a constellation of biological and environmental influences are involved in response to and recovery from injury. There is growing appreciation that neurotropic pathogens that result in lifelong infections, such as herpesviruses and the single-cell parasite toxoplasma gondii, are associated with psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Yet, a potential role of these common pathogens in the effects of and recovery from TBI have historically not been considered.
This session will present novel research investigating the extent to which latent neurotropic pathogens moderate pathophysiology and recovery of TBI. This session will span cutting edge preclinical and cross-disciplinary clinical research, consistent with the NNS 2026 theme and call for creative thinking and innovation.
Dr. Dana Cairns will present data demonstrating that repetitive mild injuries reactivate herpes simplex virus type 1, which in turn promotes an Alzheimer’s Disease-associated pathological phenotype in a three-dimensional in vitro brain tissue model.
Dr. Timothy Meier will present novel findings suggesting a role for cytomegalovirus seropositivity in moderating the effects of concussion on clinical measures, blood-based biomarkers, and neuroimaging metrics in a cohort of collegiate athletes and military service academy members.
Dr. Sandy Shultz will present preclinical results showing that pre-existing infection of the parasite toxoplasma gondii exacerbates the neuropathophysiological effects and associated functional deficits in a mouse model of TBI.
Finally, Dr. Gershon Spitz will present results from chronic TBI survivors (≥10 years post-injury) showing that those infected with toxoplasma gondii have worse MRI and psychiatric outcomes compared to uninfected counterparts.
(SESSION)S07 - From Damage to Defense: The Paradox of the Secondary Injury Cascade After Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
After a spinal cord injury (SCI), the initial mechanical trauma is only the beginning of the damage. What follows is a complex secondary injury cascade that involves a series of biochemical and cellular processes that unfold over minutes to weeks after the primary insult. This cascade includes ischemia, inflammation, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis, all of which contribute to progressive tissue degeneration and neuronal loss beyond the original injury site. Paradoxically, some of these same mechanisms—such as inflammation and glial activation—also play roles in tissue repair and neuroprotection, highlighting the dual nature of the secondary response. Understanding this delicate balance between destructive and reparative processes is critical for developing therapies that can minimize damage while promoting recovery after SCI. This session aims to explore the secondary response after SCI through a collaborative lens. A neurosurgeon will discuss the secondary response from a clinical perspective, while basic scientists will examine the roles of inflammation, macrophage/microglia activation states, and the astrocytic border. Finally, we will highlight some current drug delivery platforms being developed to mitigate secondary damage after SCI.
(SESSION)S08 - Translational Swine Models Advancing Neurotrauma Research
Session Description:
Neurotrauma, both TBI and SCI, impact millions of people annually, leading to sensory, cognitive, pathological, and molecular morbidities. While the field has learned much about TBI and SCI using rodent models, there are still no efficacious therapies that have translated to clinical use. To address this translational “valley of death”, this session will focus on the development and expansion of higher order swine models of neurotrauma to begin filling this translational void. The swine has similar cytoarchitecture, consistent metabolic rates, compatible inflammatory systems, and analogous glial ratios to humans making swine an excellent translational model. In this session Dr. Candace Floyd will discuss her work validating neuropathic pain outcomes after SCI in swine. Dr. Michael Grovola will then discuss his work investigating proteomics, transcriptomics, and spatial characterizations of neural tissue in a swine model of TBI. Dr. Cole Vonder Haar will discuss his work developing and validating a touchscreen system for evaluating swine motor and cognitive function for neurotrauma research. Finally, Dr. Audrey Lafrenaye will discuss her work evaluating somatosensory and cognitive changes as well as microglial process convergence associated with axonal injury in a swine model of central fluid percussion injury. Together these talks will highlight the breakthroughs being made utilizing translational swine models of neurotrauma.
(SESSION)S09 - Robert Grossman Symposium on Personalized Approaches to Managing Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
We are only beginning to grasp the profound heterogeneity of spinal cord injury (SCI) recovery. SCI is a dynamic, evolving network of interrelated pathological processes. Its complexity—both biological and clinical—demands a shift from “one-size-fits-all” approaches to precision-guided therapies. Identifying robust biomarkers will be essential for stratifying patients into responder subgroups and tailoring individualized treatments. A deeper understanding of the anatomical basis of functional variability will further inform personalized strategies. The growing success of neuromodulation techniques—such as epidural and percutaneous stimulation —highlights the critical importance of individualized treatment planning. This symposium will explore the multifaceted heterogeneity of SCI pathophysiology and the central role of personalized care in optimizing recovery.
NASS (North American Spine Society) is a global multidisciplinary organization dedicated to fostering the highest quality evidence-based spine care. The Spinal Cord Injury Section at NASS is devoted to the scientific advancements for SCI and spine trauma management through research, teaching and collaborations.
NACTN (North American Clinical Trials Network) is a collection of academic and military centers with a mission of continually advancing the quality of care and life of people with SCI through the application of emerging treatments in the setting of clinical trials and a SCI Registry.
NASS and NACTN will collaborate with NNS and propose a session within the 2026 NNS symposium on “Personalized Approaches to Managing Spinal Cord Injury”.
For the sixth year, the symposium would be presented in honor of Dr. Robert Grossman who contributed greatly to the field of neurotrauma and spinal cord injury treatment.
(SESSION)S10 - PPRECISE-TBI: Leveraging Shared Data and Analytics to Improve Rigor and Reproducibility in the Assessment of Injury Severity in Animal Models
Session Description:
Over the past decade, the evaluation of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has evolved beyond the traditional Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), which, while essential for initial triage, fails to capture the complexity of individual injury mechanisms and patient-specific factors. A more nuanced framework—Clinical presentation, Biomarkers, Imaging, and Modifiers (CBI-M)—has emerged, integrating acute signs (e.g., GCS, loss of consciousness) with biological, radiological, and contextual data (e.g., medications, prior TBI, healthcare access). This multidimensional approach enhances clinical decision-making and trial design but introduces new challenges for preclinical research. Animal models of TBI often define injury severity by device parameters (e.g., pressure, acceleration) rather than biological response, limiting translational relevance. Bridging this gap requires a shift toward outcome-based classification in preclinical studies that mirrors the CBI-M framework. To address this, the VA, NIH, and DoD have championed the development of standardized Common Data Elements (CDEs) and the Open Data Commons for TBI (ODC-TBI), a centralized repository for harmonized datasets. These initiatives aim to improve data interoperability, enable cross-study comparisons, and identify which acute measures—biomarkers, imaging, behavioral outcomes—best predict injury severity and therapeutic response. By aligning preclinical and clinical definitions of TBI severity, we can accelerate the identification of effective interventions and improve the fidelity of bench-to-bedside translation.
(SESSION)S11 - Contextualizing Novel Tools and Applications of Blood-based Biomarkers and Trajectories in Post-acute and Chronic Neurotrauma Patients.
Session Description:
This symposium will focus on increasing our understanding of TBI and SCI recovery trajectories by utilizing novel technical approaches such as high multiplex proteomic platforms, capillary and dry blood samples as well as machine learning data analysis. Current clinical TBI classification, including the new classification framework (CBI-M) and regulatory approved biofluid biomarkers, focuses mainly on the acute phase of TBI. Long-term variability, secondary condition risk assessment, and differences in responsiveness to rehabilitation have made it challenging to establish effective therapeutic pathways that personalize and optimize function and recovery. Here we will present state of the art and complimentary preclinical and clinical approaches and findings in identifying key variants in post-acute chronic blood-based biomarkers associated with neurotrauma severity and morbidity, as well as recovery potential and treatment responsiveness. This session will be partially sponsored by the Chinese Neurotrauma Scholar Association (CNSA).
(SESSION)S12 - Neuromodulation in Neurotrauma: Novel Approaches to Enhance Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Session Description
Spinal cord injury (SCI) presents multifaceted challenges for recovery, rehabilitation, and long-term quality of life. Despite decades of research, effective therapeutic strategies remain limited. Electrical neuromodulation has recently emerged as a promising approach to enhance neuroplasticity, promote regeneration, and improve functional outcomes in individuals living with SCI. By modulating neural circuits through targeted stimulation, these techniques offer new possibilities for restoring movement, sensation, and autonomic function.
This mini symposium aims to bring together leading researchers and clinicians working across experimental and translational domains to present recent advances in electrical neuromodulation for SCI. The session will highlight innovative applications of stimulation technologies in rodent and large animal models, as well as in human clinical settings. Topics will include transcranial and spinal stimulation, development of novel bioelectronic interfaces, and strategies for bridging preclinical and clinical research.
In addition to showcasing cutting-edge science, the symposium will offer practical insights into implementing neuromodulation protocols in laboratory and rehabilitation environments. Speakers will discuss methodological considerations, challenges in device design and delivery, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. A moderated discussion will invite reflection on translational barriers and future directions in the field.
Our goal is to foster meaningful dialogue among neuroscientists, engineers, clinicians, and trainees, and to accelerate the development of neuromodulation-based interventions for SCI. By integrating perspectives across model systems and clinical practice, we hope to advance the field of neurotrauma and contribute to more effective, personalized approaches to recovery.
(SESSION)Tuesday - Exhibition and Poster Reception - Poster Group B (POB)
(SESSION)Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Wednesday
(SESSION)PL03: Harnessing Sensory Afferents to Restore Function After Spinal Cord Injury: From Breathing to Bladder and Beyond
Session Description:
Restoration of function after spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a major goal in spinal cord injury research. A growing body of evidence highlights the powerful role of sensory afferents in driving neuroplasticity and promoting functional recovery. This symposium will bring together a diverse panel of investigators who are advancing our understanding of how targeted activation of sensory afferents can be leveraged to restore critical physiological and motor functions including breathing, locomotion, and bladder control following SCI.
Dr. Paloma Bittencourt-Silva will discuss recent work demonstrating that phrenic nerve and diaphragm stimulation can engage sensory afferents to enhance respiratory motor output and improve breathing after cervical SCI. Dr. Erica Dale will highlight how epidural spinal stimulation can recruit afferent pathways to promote respiratory plasticity and function. Extending beyond breathing, Dr. Aaron Mickle will present findings on how selective activation of afferents can improve bladder control and autonomic function after SCI. Finally, Dr. Andrew Spence will discuss how afferent stimulation strategies can facilitate locomotor recovery through modulation of spinal networks.
Together, these talks will showcase converging evidence that sensory afferent activation represents a powerful and underutilized therapeutic target to promote recovery across multiple systems. The session will stimulate discussion on mechanistic underpinnings, translational challenges, and future directions for afferent-targeted interventions to improve quality of life after SCI.
(SESSION)PG02 - Poster Group B I Day 2
(SESSION)S13 - Vascular Responses to Neurotrauma
Session Description:
The neurovascular system plays a critical role in both the acute and chronic responses to brain and spinal cord injury. This session will explore how trauma disrupts vascular integrity, alters cerebral blood flow, and contributes to secondary injury cascades that shape long-term outcomes. Presentations will integrate clinical and preclinical perspectives to highlight how structural and functional imaging, histopathological assessment, and biomarker studies reveal key features of vascular and blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction after neurotrauma.
Speakers will discuss advances in neuroimaging approaches to visualize vascular injury in vivo, including high-resolution MRI and advanced ultrasound imaging techniques that capture brain and spinal cord blood flow as well as microvascular hemodynamics. Pathological analyses will detail cellular and molecular changes in the vasculature - ranging from endothelial damage and pericyte loss to inflammatory, metabolic, and mitochondrial contributions to vascular dysfunction.
By bridging translational research across traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI), this session aims to identify common mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities that target vascular dysfunction and enable neuroprotection. Attendees will gain a comprehensive view of how vascular pathology influences neural recovery and how emerging tools can be leveraged to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention strategies after neurotrauma.
(SESSION)S14 - Understanding White Matter Dynamics Linking Mild TBI and Psychiatric Burden: Insights from Advanced Neuroimaging and Therapeutic Development
Session Description
Damage to and degeneration of white matter are particularly consequential, given its critical role in communication between brain regions. Emerging evidence suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychiatric burden are linked to white matter damage through overlapping yet distinct biological processes. However, how these processes differ, evolve over time, and relate to functional outcomes remains unclear, as few in-vivo imaging methods can independently detect these subtle changes.
This session features an integrated framework of cross-sectional and longitudinal neuroimaging approaches to assess white matter microstructural brain health. Spanning clinical cohorts, MRI modalities, and preclinical models, this collaborative platform highlights how white matter disruption evolves over time, contributes to functional and clinical outcomes, and informs therapeutic development. The first presentation will introduce the biological interpretability of longitudinal white matter microstructural changes following concussion in a juvenile rodent model. The second will transition to human clinical mTBI, presenting longitudinal data from the TRACK-TBI study and emphasizing “what the injury brings to the brain, and what the brain brings to the injury.” The third will build on this framework by examining TBI-related changes in white matter integrity in a longitudinal cohort of trauma survivors. The fourth will extend these concepts to Veterans, presenting longitudinal evidence of tissue contrast changes, with trajectories varying by neurotrauma history and demonstrating accelerated age-related decline in the presence of psychiatric conditions. The final presentation will return to a preclinical perspective, highlighting potential white matter-related therapeutic targets and reinforcing the translational relevance of these findings.
Across these datasets, regionally specific alterations provide converging evidence of neural vulnerability across injury mechanisms, psychiatric burden, and aging. These presentations underscore the translational potential of harmonized, cross-cohort imaging approaches to link white matter characteristics with functional outcomes and therapeutic insight.
(SESSION)S15 - Bridging Circuit-Behavior Dysfunction in Preclinical TBI with Advanced Brain Recording Methods
Session Description:
Modern neuroscience emphasizes neural circuits. Historically, preclinical TBI has focused on the location of injury and pathology as well as the specific type or model of injury. However, understanding precisely how injury affects interconnected circuits as well as how adaptation during recovery alters the function of these circuits will be critical to developing meaningful treatments. Measurements of circuit function require appropriate targeted behavioral measurements to enable the use of this high-resolution data. The current session will describe advances in these areas to enable circuit-focused and translational models of preclinical TBI.
Miranda Koloski (University of California-San Diego, confirmed) will present results from multi-site electrode arrays to better understand impaired behavioral flexibility after injury. Neil Harris (University of California-Los Angeles, confirmed) will describe the use of functional ultrasound imaging to capture brain-wide dynamics after concussion during a head-fixed discrimination task. Cole Vonder Haar (Ohio State University, confirmed) will show behavioral and on-task fiber photometry data that identifies the nucleus accumbens as a locus of reward-learning deficits. John Wolf (University of Pennsylvania, confirmed) will present high-density electrophysiology data from awake, behaving rats and pigs following TBI.
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will have a better understanding of how modern methods for brain recording can be applied to questions of circuit dysfunction after TBI.
(SESSION)S16 - Unraveling Sleep and Circadian Pathways in Neurotrauma
Session Description
Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances are nearly universal after brain injury, yet their role in neural repair and recovery remains underrecognized. Beyond contributing to fatigue and cognitive slowing, disrupted sleep actively influences neural circuit function, neuroinflammation, and immune regulation; key processes that govern both early outcomes and long-term recovery.
Organized by trainees from underrepresented backgrounds, this trainee-led symposium integrates mechanistic and translational perspectives to examine how sleep and circadian biology can be leveraged to promote recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Emerging evidence demonstrates that improving sleep quality, timing, and structure can directly influence these mechanisms, positioning sleep as a promising therapeutic target. Experimental studies using non-invasive modulation of cortical excitability reveal how repetitive brain injury alters sleep-dependent network dynamics, while advanced actigraphy now enables precise assessment of sleep fragmentation and circadian misalignment across species. Clinically, poor sleep is an independent predictor of persistent post-concussion symptoms and may exacerbate stress-related immune responses, including viral reactivation.
Alyson Stewart will discuss sleep disruption–induced reactivation of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 after TBI. Ian Díaz Nieves will examine MCH neuron dysfunction in the lateral hypothalamus following mild TBI. Rebecca Boland will describe microglial contributions to the neuroimmune environment under combined TBI and sleep fragmentation. Nija White will present how repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation influences sleep efficiency and astrogliosis via adenosine metabolism. Rida Ismail will highlight the clinical impact of poor sleep on persistent post-concussion syndrome. A concluding panel will bridge laboratory insights with translational and clinical applications.
(SESSION)S17 - Emerging Roles for Inflammation in Neurotrauma
Session Description
Neurotrauma is accompanied by complex neuro-immune interactions that substantially contribute to long-term outcomes. However, nonspecific anti-inflammatory therapies fail to improve recovery following neurotrauma and can even worsen functional recovery and morbidity. Thus, a better understanding of the damaging and reparative functions of inflammation is necessary for advancing immune-focused therapies. In this session, we will present novel findings on the critical roles of central and peripheral immunity in spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dr. Angela Filous will discuss the mechanisms for SCI-induced immune depression syndrome and how it worsens neurological outcomes, using a clinically relevant mouse model of acquired pneumonia after SCI. Dr. Olga Kokiko-Cochran will present on the neuroimmune responses to the loss of glucocorticoid receptor on microglia after lateral fluid percussion injury in mice. Dr. Andrew Gaudet will describe his recent findings that reveal how targeting the circadian system benefits microglia and macrophage responses and neurologic recovery after SCI. Dr. Dylan McCreedy, the session chair, will discuss how early innate immune cells can promote long-term recovery after SCI in a sex-dependent manner. Collectively, this session will highlight the current state of knowledge on the complex consequences of inflammation in neurotrauma to inform the next generation of neuroprotective and regenerative strategies for SCI and TBI.
(SESSION)S18 - Caring for the Whole Community: Considerations of Patient Demographics in Neurotrauma
Session Description
Advances in neurotrauma research and clinical care have significantly improved outcomes for many individuals affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). However, measurable differences in access to treatment, participation in research, and long-term recovery outcomes remain across these patient populations and care settings. These variations may reflect differences in socioeconomic factors, healthcare infrastructure, geographic location, and system-level access to specialized neurotrauma services and rehabilitation options.
This session will bring together neurotrauma experts across both basic science and translational research and clinical care to examine factors contributing to variable outcomes across both the TBI and SCI patient populations. Presenters will address patterns in neurotrauma research participation and clinical care delivery, with emphasis on populations who are more at risk for poor outcomes, injury management, optimizing treatment and rehabilitation access, and recovery pathways for both TBI and SCI patients. This session will also highlight current limitations to the existing research that hinder a comprehensive understanding of outcome variability. Collectively, these perspectives will highlight opportunities to improve outcomes for all individuals affected by TBI and SCI through more comprehensive data, broader research participation, and equitable access to high-quality care.
(SESSION)WS01 - Designing and Delivering Effective Chalk Talks
Session Description
Chalk talks are often a much-feared, yet critical, aspect of faculty job interviews and research presentations. This workshop prepares early career scientists to deliver compelling chalk talks. Through a structured presentation with opportunities for interactive discussion throughout, participants will learn how to clearly articulate their scientific vision, outline future research directions, and engage faculty audiences without relying on slides.
The session will highlight the expectations and common formats of chalk talks, strategies for balancing technical depth with accessibility, and methods for demonstrating independence and feasibility. Presenters will share practical advice drawn from experience on both sides of the interview process, offering insights into how to avoid common pitfalls and strengthen delivery.
By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a clear framework for preparing and presenting a confident and compelling chalk talk that communicates their research and scientific goals.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the purpose and expectations of chalk talks in academic interviews.
- Learn strategies to effectively communicate research vision and independent viewpoint.
- Gain practical tips for handling questions and maintaining clarity under pressure.
Target Audience:
Senior graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty preparing for faculty interviews or seeking to strengthen their ability to present research plans in chalk talk format.
Participants will leave with actionable guidance, increased confidence, and a roadmap for delivering an effective chalk talk.
(SESSION)WS02 - Preclinical CDEs
(SESSION)S19 - How TBI may Accelerate the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD)?
Session Description:
Emerging evidence from clinical and preclinical studies suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) may accelerate the progression of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD), though the evidence remains inconclusive. Further questions about the roles of TBI severity and number of TBI events have also been unresolved to date, but data suggest they are important factors in accelerating ADRD progression. Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers enable a minimally invasive assessment of the onset and progression of pathobiological changes after TBI, but outside of acute measures, long-term evolution in biomarker profiles has not been established. This session proposal will bridge the gap between the role of acute and long-term pathobiological changes after TBI focused primarily on ADRD pathobiology. To address these gaps, Jaclyn Iannucci will update on the immune linkages between TBI and future progression to ADRD. Paul Territo will examine how TBI and AD neurovascular coupling abnormalities share similar phenomena in both clinical subjects and preclinical models of disease. Rachel Rowe will describe how fragmented sleep may be a mechanistic link between TBI and ADRD. Finally, clinical and preclinical biomarker studies are showing great promise in assessing the role of TBI in ADRD progression and will be discussed by Denes Agoston. In summary, this session will lay the foundation for future investigations and future directions about how a heterogeneous TBI may confer increased risk for development of ADRD.
(SESSION)S20 - Understanding Cause and Effect in Neurotrauma: A Practical Introduction for Researchers and Clinicians
Session Description:
Understanding Cause and Effect in Neurotrauma: A Practical Introduction for Researchers and Clinicians
After a TBI or SCI, countless biological, clinical, and environmental factors interact in ways that are difficult to untangle. As a field, we often ask questions like: Why do two patients with similar injuries recover differently? Which treatments truly help, not just correlate with better outcomes?How can we learn from realworld clinical data when randomized trials aren’t feasible? To answer these types of causeandeffect questions, we need to apply causal reasoning and modern data science instead of traditional statistical approaches. This session will introduce these ideas in a simple, intuitive, and scientifically grounded way through examples. Large randomized controlled trials may not always be feasible to answer important clinical questions due to ethical, logistical and/or financial reasons. Causal inference methods applied to data from large observational studies offer a valuable solution to such problems and opportunities to: 1) Distinguish correlation from cause and effect, 2) Design better studies, even using existing data, 3) Identify mechanisms that drive recovery or deterioration, 4) Evaluate the realworld impact of diagnostics, treatments, and rehabilitation strategies, 5) Discover new intervention targets by understanding how factors influence one another, and 6) Make more confident clinical and scientific inferences when randomized clinical trials are not possible. Participants will walk away with a practical understanding of how causal thinking can help us to better understand complex neurotrauma data, improve the studies they undertake, strengthen evidence, and ultimately guide decisionmaking. This session will show, through concrete examples, how these methods can meaningfully strengthen neurotrauma research.
(SESSION)S21 - Novel Biomarkers for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury in the Eras of Precision Medicine and CBI-M
Session Description
Recovery from pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is driven by complex, dynamic biological processes that evolve over time, contributing to striking heterogeneity in outcomes that limits accurate prognostication and targeted treatment. In the era of precision medicine, existing physiological, neuroimaging, and protein biomarkers have fallen short in capturing this complexity particularly in children, highlighting the urgent need for novel and age-specific biomarkers to guide individualized care.
This need has become even more salient with the introduction of the CBI-M (Clinical, Biomarker, Imaging, Modifiers) framework, which emphasizes the integration of multimodal data to refine TBI classification, improve prognostic precision, and enhance trial design. Within this emerging framework, the dearth of validated pediatric biomarkers remains a critical research gap.
In this symposium, four investigators will present cutting-edge research in novel biomarkers of pediatric TBI, spanning preclinical and clinical studies. Biomarkers to be discussed include: (1) acute differential DNA methylation in the BDNF gene in children with TBI versus orthopedic injury; (2) multimodal biomarkers following experimental pediatric TBI: exploring molecular, physiological, and neurobehavioral domains during adolescence and adulthood phases, along with overlapping clinically-relevant factors such as early life stress or hypertension comorbidity; (3) age-related variations in expression of GFAP and UCHL1 following pediatric TBI; and (4) white matter maturation in children and juvenile mice with mild TBI. Strengths, limitations, and future directions for each biomarker will be considered in the context of advancing precision medicine for pediatric TBI and informing biomarker-driven components of the CBI-M framework.
(SESSION)S22 - Axis of Recovery: Gut, Microbiome, and Nutrition after Spinal Cord Injury
Session Description:
Recent advances have highlighted the profound impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on gut function and microbiome composition, extending far beyond locomotor and sensory dysfunction. Building on this foundation, this session will explore the emerging science of the gut-brain and gut-lung axis in SCI, focusing on how disruptions in gastrointestinal function and microbiome composition can drive pathology and impede recovery both in animals and humans with SCI.
The symposium will examine how SCI-induced changes in gut integrity, motility, and microbial diversity and function contribute to lung pathology, systemic complications, metabolic dysfunction, and impaired neurorecovery. Attendees will gain insights into nutritional strategies, microbiome-targeted interventions, and innovative dietary approaches—such as ketogenic therapy—that hold promise for improving outcomes.
Our panel reflects the collaborative and inclusive spirit of the NNS meeting, featuring a diverse group of experts evenly split between females and males and representing all career stages in basic and clinical research—from medical student to senior faculty. This diversity ensures a rich exchange of perspectives and experiences, enhancing the depth and relevance of the discussion.
(SESSION)S23 - Scientific Rigor or Mortis: Are the TBI Biomechanics of Our Models Clinically Valid?
Session Description:
The biomechanics of traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been studied for centuries. However, while the biomechanical parameters of some preclinical models have been clinically validated as have their resulting pathologies, many other models lack this critical clinical comparison. This session will explore biomechanical and neuropathological aspects of various common TBI preclinical models in context with current understanding of human TBI biomechanics and consequent neuropathologies. These models will include various forms of head rotational acceleration, cortical impact, fluid percussion and blast exposure in large and small animals in comparison to the corresponding human conditions. In addition to highlighting the historical and the latest relevant literature, we will provide new data including high-speed video and sensor recording of the preclinical TBI models and analyze how they scale, or don’t, to human TBI biomechanics.
(SESSION)S24 - Advances in Cell Therapy for Neural Repair
Session Description
This proposed session will present the latest advancements in cell-based therapies for spinal cord repair, featuring a panel of leading investigators spanning stem cell engineering, pre-clinical transplantation, large-animal translation, and clinical implementation. Cell therapy has emerged as one of the most promising strategies for restoring neural circuitry after spinal cord injury, supported by robust experimental evidence and accelerating translational progress. Co-chaired by Drs. Michael Fehlings (University of Toronto) and Michael Lane (Drexel University), the session will highlight how innovations in stem cell biology, neural engineering, and combinatorial therapeutic strategies are converging to advance spinal cord repair. Presentations will address recent breakthroughs in neuronal progenitor engineering, donor–host integration, large-animal validation, and clinical translation, with emphasis on how targeted cell transplantation paired with supportive interventions can promote durable neural repair and functional recovery.