“Andy Blight would not only wear the FASIA designation proudly but FASIA would also benefit from a true scholar and dedicated SCI professional like Andy joining the distinguished ranks of FASIA awardees.”
Congratulations Andrew Blight, PhD who has been announced as a 2023 Fellow of ASIA (FASIA) Award recipient. Fellowship in the American Spinal Injury Association is an honor bestowed by the Board of Directors in recognition of longstanding dedication to, and distinguished accomplishments within, the fields of spinal cord injury research, clinical practice, education, and/or advocacy and for longstanding active membership in and service to ASIA.
Andrew Blight, PhD retired from the role of Chief Scientific Officer of Acorda Therapeutics in 2017 but remains active in the field of spinal cord injury research. His professional career as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at NYU Medical Center. He moved in 1987 to the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University, where he became Professor of Anatomy and then to Division of Neurosurgery at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was Professor and Director of the Research Laboratory from 1992 to 1998. His academic research concentrated on the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) and potential therapeutic approaches, with particular interest in the role of inflammation in acute tissue damage and demyelination in long term functional deficits. His work on the therapeutic application of 4-aminopryidine (4-AP) in SCI led him to join Acorda Therapeutics in 1998 as head of research and development, working on clinical trials in SCI and multiple sclerosis (MS). Acorda obtained FDA approval for the use of 4-AP (dalfampridine) in 2010, for improvement of walking in people with MS, but continued research on a number of other approaches to acute and chronic SCI. His interests include both basic science and the issues around clinical trials.
Andrew Blight was the co-founder of SCOPE, participated in the NINDS CDEs and continues his commitment to SCI research through SCOPE, SCITT, STUDI and other venues. When asked to volunteer, Andy invariably says “yes”.
2023 FASIA recipients will be honored during the Annual Scientific Meeting on April 17.
