Grants: Wings for life
The Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation is a privately funded research charity organisation with the exclusive aim to promote basic and clinical research related to spinal cord injury with the perspective to improve outcomes.
Basic research projects may address the following aspects of traumatic spinal cord injury
• nerve regeneration/plasticity
• neuronal and glial protection
• functional deficits induced by lesions
• preferentially in mammalian models
• preferentially on mechanisms present/validated in humans
Clinical research projects may address
• spinal cord injury management
• other areas related to traumatic spinal cord injury essential to the propagation of neurological and functional recovery
A preference is given to research projects, which have
• a perspective of translation from the laboratory to the clinical setting
• the potential to provide real benefits to spinal cord injury patients
• a focus on chronic spinal cord injury, in case applicable
Despite unquestionable clinical relevance, basic or clinical projects in the areas of medical complications (bladder/bowel function, cardiovascular function, pressure ulcer, neuropathic pain, spasticity) and technological developments represent only a secondary focus. Applications in those areas can only be considered, if the approach is novel, original and offers a unique and innovative treatment perspective or the ability to run clinical trials more effectively.