Spinal Cast
by MCPF
Our hope is to provide our listeners with new and unique perspectives on spinal cord injuries and the research being done to uncover a cure.
Podcast episodes
Season 1
Helen-Marie Dunmore
At MCPF we talk a lot about our global approach to spinal cord injury research and how it takes a lot of time. During this episode of Spinal Cast Helen-Marie Dunmore, Principal Scientific Advisor with Charles River Laboratories, United Kingdom shares some insight on why it takes so long and how their work is critical for safe and reliable therapies for those affected by spinal cord injury. We discuss the role of regulation, new drug trials, blood brain barrier, data sets, pre-clinical testing, animal models, functional methods, collaboration, and standardization – just to name a few of the challenges. We also hear about the promising therapeutic targets that Helen-Marie is especially excited about; protection and regeneration of neurons, tissue repair, cell and gene-based therapies. Yep, it all takes time, a lot of time, and money.The work that Helen-Marie and others at Charles River do is behind the scenes but without it we would not have the data or safety measures in place that guarantee advancement in the scientific field of spinal cord injury. Thanks for your devotion and work! A detailed bio for Helen-Marie Dunmore can be found at the link below:https://www.criver.com/about-us/about-us-overview/our-employees/employees/helen-marie-dunmore-ertCharles River Laboratories: https://www.criver.com/ Thanks again to Helen-Marie for being our guest on today's podcast! This production is a collaborative effort of volunteers working to create a quality audio and visual experience around the subject of spinal cord injury. A special shout out of appreciation to Clientek for providing studio space and top-notch recording equipment. Most importantly, thank YOU for being part of the Spinal Cast audience!Interested in watching these episodes?! Check out our YouTube playlist! - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40rLlxGS4VzgAjW8P6Pz1mVWiN0Jou3vIf you'd like to learn more about the Morton Cure Paralysis Fund you can visit our website at - https://mcpf.org/Donations are always appreciated - https://mcpf.org/you-can-help/
Becky, Bernadette, & Bridget
“Dad, I can’t feel my toes.”Learning you are paralyzed isn’t just an adjustment for the injured individual, it’s an adjustment for the entire family. This episode of Spinal Cast shares the story of a family living in Milbank, South Dakota finding a new normal after their beloved daughter/sister, Becky is injured in a car accident. Three sisters; Becky, Bernadette and Bridget, all teenagers at the time, discuss the ripple effect the accident had on their family and how they all discovered things about themselves in the process. This is a candid conversation about a shared journey. It wasn’t what they wanted or expected but working through the trauma with love, patience, acceptance, and some humor it’s easy to understand why these sisters have an impenetrable bond. All three sisters are “adulting” now with professional careers, their bios follow.Becky Walker: Becky is Director of Retail Branches for TruStone Financial Credit Union. She was injured in a car accident when she was 15 which left her paralyzed from the waist down. Becky and her husband, Chad, love spending time outdoors. Their favorite recreational sport is SCUBA diving.Bernadette Finken: Bernadette is Head of Talent and Acquisition for Best Buy Co. Inc. She is married and a mother of three. When not working she is making memories with her family by attending sporting events and enjoying their lake place in the summer. Bernadette was 16 at the time of Becky’s accident.Bridget Peters: Bridget is an RN in the ICU at United Hospital. She is a social butterfly! In her free time, she loves to travel, hike, spend time with her friends and family and spoil her adorable dog, Teddie. Bridget was 13 when Becky was injured.Special thanks to Becky, Bernadette and Bridget for being our guests! This production is a collaborative effort of volunteers working to create a quality audio and visual experience around the subject of spinal cord injury. A special shout out of appreciation to Clientek for providing studio space and top-notch recording equipment. Most importantly, thank YOU for being part of the Spinal Cast audience!Interested in watching these episodes?! Check out our YouTube playlist! - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40rLlxGS4VzgAjW8P6Pz1mVWiN0Jou3vIf you'd like to learn more about the Morton Cure Paralysis Fund you can visit our website at - https://mcpf.org/Donations are always appreciated - https://mcpf.org/you-can-help/
Mike Utley
The definition of the word “determined” is missing something, it’s Mike Utley. Thirty-two years after an NFL career ending spinal cord injury Mike continues to motivate and advocate for those living with paralysis. He is one of those individuals who deals with adversity better than most and has an irrepressible outlook on life. This episode of Spinal Cast covers his injury, recovery, and personal journey living with paralysis. Next time you use that “thumbs up” emoji here’s hoping you think of Mike. His message and his work are inspiring!The Mike Utley Foundation - https://www.mikeutley.org/Thank you again to Mike Utley for joining us on today's episode! This production is a collaborative effort of volunteers working to create a quality audio and visual experience around the subject of spinal cord injury. A special shout out of appreciation to Clientek for providing studio space and top-notch recording equipment. Most importantly, thank YOU for being part of the Spinal Cast audience!Interested in watching these episodes?! Check out our YouTube playlist! - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40rLlxGS4VzgAjW8P6Pz1mVWiN0Jou3vIf you'd like to learn more about the MCPF you can visit our website - https://mcpf.org/Donations are always welcomed - https://mcpf.org/you-can-help/
Dr. Grégoire Courtine & Dr. Jocelyne Bloch
A tour de force, a dynamic duo, a powerful pair … somehow these phrases are not adequate when describing the incredible work of Dr. Grégoire Courtine and Dr. Jocelyn Bloch. Their remarkable discoveries in the field of spinal cord injury are bringing treatments to the forefront - using a brain-spine interface to facilitate movement for those living with paralysis. With the help of their dedicated team of scientists, what we once hoped for is now a reality. This is exciting stuff. Prepare to be amazed!Dr. Jocelyne Bloch is a neurosurgeon at the University Hospital Lausanne, Switzerland, also known as CHUV, where she leads the Functional Neurosurgery Unit. Dr. Grégoire Courtine is a neuroscientist with a background in physics.Both Dr. Bloch and Dr. Courtine are professors within the NeuroX Institute of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), within the Neurosurgical Department of CHUV, and at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lausanne (UNIL).They co-founded the Defitech Center for Interventional Neurotherapies, named NeuroRestore, which they lead together as Co-Directors. NeuroRestore is a research, innovation, and treatment center that develops and applies bioengineering strategies involving neurosurgical interventions to restore neurological functions. https://www.neurorestore.swiss/In 2014, Dr. Bloch and Dr. Courtine also co-founded ONWARD Medical with the aim to translate the neurotherapies developed at NeuroRestore into clinical treatments. Dr. Courtine is Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of ONWARD Medical N.V. (Euronext: ONWD). https://www.onwd.com/They are recognized worldwide for their conception of neuroprosthetic implants that restored walking in people with chronic paralysis, the results of their research have been published in numerous articles by science and nature journals, and broadly publicized in print and broadcast media across the world.Thank you again to both Dr. Bloch and Dr. Courtine for joining us for today's episode! This production is a collaborative effort of volunteers working to create a quality audio and visual experience around the subject of spinal cord injury. A special shout out of appreciation to Clientek for providing studio space and top-notch recording equipment. Most importantly, thank YOU for being part of the Spinal Cast audience!Interested in watching these episodes?! Check out our YouTube playlist! - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40rLlxGS4VzgAjW8P6Pz1mVWiN0Jou3vIf you'd like to learn more about the MCPF you can visit our website - https://mcpf.org/Donations are always welcomed - https://mcpf.org/you-can-help/
Dr. Gregg Jones & Dr. Aaron Robinson
This episode of Spinal Cast features the extraordinary world of emergency services and two heroes who save lives every day. Dr. Gregg Jones and Dr. Aaron Robinson are EMS Physicians with Hennepin County Emergency Medical Services. They share valuable insights into their challenging field of work and discuss the causes of many critical calls, including those that result in spinal cord injury. Learn some life-savings tips and discover how you can be a hero too in those critical moments when experts are not immediately available.Gregg A. Jones, MDDr. Gregg Jones currently serves as Medical Director of Public Safety and Special Operations at Hennepin EMS, EMS Fellowship Program Director, Assistant Medical Director, Hennepin Emergency Medical Services, and Medical Director for Minneapolis Fire Department. Dr. Jones also serves as Medical Director for MN Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team. He completed medical School at Oregon Health and Science University and Emergency Medicine Residency training at Hennepin County Medical Center in 2018 and EMS fellowship in 2019. Prior to going to school, Dr. Jones served in the US Army, which included two combat tours to Afghanistan. His current medical interests include medical directing for large-scale events, mass casualty incident planning, paramedic education, provider wellness and the interface between prehospital medicine and law enforcement.Aaron Robinson, MD, MPHDr. Aaron Robinson is an Emergency Medicine and EMS Physician at Hennepin County Medical Center and Hennepin EMS in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is indigenous and from the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin. He attended undergrad at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh before earning his MD at University of Wisconsin. He also earned an MPH from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Robinson completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center and stayed to complete a fellowship in Prehospital (EMS) Medicine. His professional interests include out of hospital cardiac arrest, critical care, and health disparities. Thank you again to both Gregg and Aaron for joining us on today's podcast! This production is a collaborative effort of volunteers working to create a quality audio and visual experience around the subject of spinal cord injury. A special shout out of appreciation to Clientek for providing studio space and top-notch recording equipment. Most importantly, thank YOU for being part of the Spinal Cast audience!Interested in watching these episodes?! Check out our YouTube playlist! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL40rLlxGS4VzgAjW8P6Pz1mVWiN0Jou3vIf you'd like to learn more about the MCPF you can visit our website - https://mcpf.org/Donations are always welcomed - https://mcpf.org/you-can-help/