New Clues to Reversing Spinal Cord Injury

University of Toronto professor captures top Canadian research prize

Ottawa, Ontario, March 20, 2003 – A Canadian scientist has made a small but vital step toward providing clinicians with the ability to reverse spinal cord injury. Dr. Molly Shoichet, an associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Toronto, recently demonstrated that an artificial bridge constructed across a break in the spinal cord can serve as a conduit for new nerve cells originating in the brain.

"What's most exciting about this work is that we determined that some of the new nerve cells or axons that were growing in our rats were drawing from the brain. The reason that's so exciting is that you can get tissue growing. But you also want to get the right tissue. And in this case it's the cells in the brain that are regenerating their axons," says Dr. Shoichet, of the as yet unpublished research.

Her new coup is just the latest in a series of contributions that have garnered her a Steacie Fellowship – a top Canadian science and engineering honour from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). It’s one of six announced today by Allan Rock, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for NSERC, Rey Pagtakhan, Minister of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development, and Dr. Tom Brzustowski, President of NSERC. University of Toronto colleague Dr. Kim Vicente also receives one of the prestigious awards (see separate release).

“NSERC Steacie Fellows are blazing trails for themselves and for Canada on the international research scene,” said Minister Rock. “They are leading Canada towards its goal of becoming one of the top five countries in the world for research and development.”

“These awards are public recognition for outstanding scientific achievement,” said Minister Pagtakhan. “Indeed this is Canada’s way of saying ‘thank you’ and giving outstanding scientists and engineers the opportunity and resources to bring their ideas to a new level of excellence.”

In the recent experiment, customized tubes developed in Dr. Shoichet's lab were spliced into the severed spinal cords of paraplegic rats. The tubes were infused with neural growth factors. The combination sparked the growth of new nerve tissue, and most importantly, tests showed that this new spinal cord nerve tissue provided some functional benefit, albeit slight.

Dr. Shoichet, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering at the University of Toronto, is one of a rare new breed of scientists who are combining chemistry, biology and engineering to create the emerging fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. An expert in the creation and modification of polymers, Dr. Shoichet focuses on perhaps the most vexing of tissue engineering questions: spinal cord regeneration. Bone, skin and even peripheral nerves regenerate spontaneously. So why not the nerves of the spinal cord?

"That's the central question," says Dr. Shoichet. "My lab approaches the problem from an engineering perspective, as opposed to a neurosurgical or biological perspective. Engineers are trained to solve problems. The challenge with this problem is that it's ill-defined. So we're looking for solutions that will help us better define the problem."

Her research at the University of Toronto since 1995 has methodically teased apart the problem and shown the way forward in two clearly engineering-inspired ways: bridges and communications equipment.

Dr. Shoichet has used her materials science expertise to design specialized tiny tubes that mimic spinal cord tissue in structure and feel. These tubes act as bridges, providing both support and direction, over which spinal cord nerves can regenerate.

In collaboration with biologists, she has also helped clarify the role of what could be considered molecular "smell" in guiding spinal nerve cell growth. Her experiments have shown that spinal cord nerve cell regeneration is in part guided by specific concentration gradients of chemicals in the tissue.

Her recent rat spinal cord regeneration results were based on combining these two approaches.

During her Steacie research, Dr. Shoichet will continue to develop new biodegradable tissue bridges that will be eroded by the nerve cells they inspire to grow. Her lab is also working on a less invasive way to deliver a sustained concentration gradient of neural growth factor using an injectable polymer.

"It looks like we're going in the right direction, but there's still so much to do," says Dr. Shoichet. "My goal is to make an impact and have a therapeutic strategy available for spinal cord injury patients. Every step from improved bladder control to walking would be significant. And if I don't believe it's all possible, who will?"

For more information, please contact:

Arnet Sheppard
Manager, Newsbureau
Communications
NSERC
Telephone: (613) 995-5997
E-mail: axs@nserc.ca

The Prize

NSERC Steacie Fellowships are awarded to the most outstanding Canadian university scientists or engineers, who have earned their doctorate within the last twelve years. Nominations are received by NSERC from universities across Canada and the international impact of the individual’s work is judged by a distinguished panel of independent experts. The award includes increased research funding from NSERC and a payment to the university to allow the individual to pursue his or her research full-time. The winning Steacie Fellows are also eligible to compete for a special Canada Foundation for Innovation Career Award. The announcement of these awards will be made later.

The six winners this year are:

Dr. Gary Saunders (University of New Brunswick)
Dr. Victoria Kaspi (McGill University)
Dr. Zongchao Jia (Queen’s University)
Dr. Molly Shoichet (University of Toronto)
Dr. Kim Vicente (University of Toronto)
Dr. Michel Gingras (University of Waterloo)

Canada’s Innovation Strategy

Last year, the Government of Canada launched Canada’s Innovation Strategy, two papers that lay out a plan to address skills and innovation challenges for the next decade. The paper released by Minister Rock is entitled Achieving Excellence: Investing in People, Knowledge and Opportunity. It proposes goals, targets and priorities for Canada over the next decade to: create knowledge and bring ideas to market more quickly; ensure a skilled workforce in the new economy; modernize business and regulatory policies while protecting the public interest; and strengthen communities by supporting innovation at the local level. Today’s announcement supports this strategy.

For more information about Canada’s Innovation Strategy or to obtain a copy of either Knowledge Matters: Skills and Learning for Canadians or Achieving Excellence: Investing in People, Knowledge and Opportunity, please call 1-800-O CANADA
(1-800-622-6232) or visit http://www.innovationstrategy.gc.ca.