International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) (Revised 2019)
The 2019 revision of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) was released at ASIA’s 2019 SCI Summit in Honolulu. This revision introduces two new concepts: 1) a new taxonomy for documentation of non-SCI related impairments such as peripheral nerve lesions or pain, and defines classification rules in the presence of such non-SCI conditions; and 2) the definition of the Zone of Partial Preservation has been changed and now can be used in some cases of incomplete injuries (ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) grades B, C, and D) with absent motor function or sensory function in the most caudal sacral segments. Read more about the 2019 revisions.
2019 Fellow of ASIA Awards
Congratulations to the 2019 Fellows of the American Spinal Injury Association. 2019 FASIA recipients were announced and honored during the SCI Summit, April 5, 2019 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Fellowship in the American Spinal Injury Association (FASIA) is bestowed by the Board of Directors in recognition of distinguished accomplishments within the fields of spinal cord injury research, clinical practice, education and advocacy, and for a longstanding active membership of service to the society. Read more about the FASIA award and recipients here.
2019 Apple Award
Morgan Callahan, MD and Rachel Cowan, PhD are recipients of ASIA’s 2019 Apple Award. Their paper titled 
“Relationship of Fitness and Wheelchair Mobility With Encounters, Avoidances, and Perception of Environmental Barriers Among Manual Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury” appears in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in October, 2018. The Apple Award for excellence in publishing in spinal cord injury rehabilitation literature is presented annually during the ASIA annual scientific meeting in recognition of the best published paper by a clinician or researcher in the preceding calendar year.
2019 Craig H Neilsen Foundation Allied Health Professional Research Award of ASIA
Jacob G. Long, PT, DPT, NCS, ATP/SMS, a physical therapist at the Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, Mississippi has been named the 2019 Neilsen-ASIA Research Award recipient. Mr. Long will receive $25,000 to fund his study, “Does the speed of robotic leg movements during tilt-table verticalization affect orthostatic hypotension in persons with subacute SCI?” He will receive his award during the 2019 SCI Summit in Hawaii. Read more here about Dr. Long and the Neilsen Foundation Allied Health Professional Research Award of ASIA.
CDC Blog post by ASIA Advocacy Committee Chair Matt Davis
Check out the new CDC blog post written by ASIA Advocacy Committee Chair Matt Davis. The title of the post is: “Unintended Consequences for Patients with Spinal Cord Injury” https://blogs-origin.cdc.gov/safehealthcare/unintended-consequences-for-patients-with-spinal-cord-injury/
2019 ASIA Sell Lecturer Announced 
The 2019 Distinguished G. Heiner Sell Lectureship will be presented by Marcel Post, PhD. Dr. Post serves as Associate/Section Editor of Spinal Cord and the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Scientific Committee of ISCoS and the executive committee of the International SCI Data Sets project. Join us in Honolulu, Hawaii for the SCI Summit during the 2019 ASIA Scientific when Dr. Post will present the Sell Lecture. Complete details on the 2019 meeting will be made available on the ASIA website.
ASIA 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award Announcement
John Steeves, PhD has been names the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Established in 1987, the ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who made a significant contribution to the world of spinal cord injury care. Criteria includes: career dedication, peer recognition, professional competence, and recognized achievement. Dr. Steeves brings more than 40 years of experience in SCI and neuroscience. He is or has been an executive member or chair of many national and international committees and organizations concerned with SCI, including ASIA and ISCoS. He also founded and is currently the co-chair of SCOPE (Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor), which is the international industry-academic-foundation roundtable for improving SCI clinical trial protocols, under the ASIA umbrella. He has an extensive list of over 150 publications, as well as a few patents. He founded and led a biotechnology company, and now serves as a clinical trial consultant to several pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
International Spinal Cord Injury Socio-Demographic Basic Data Set (Version 1.0)
The International Spinal Cord Injury Socio-Demographic Basic Data Set (Version 1.0) is available for review. Please review the document using the link below. If you have any comments or suggestions, please email the chair of the working group, Yu-ying Chen yychen@uab.edu
before December 1, 2018.
International Spinal Cord Injury Socio-Demographic Basic Data Set (Version 1.0)
Join a Committee
A
SIA is looking for enthusiastic members who want to get involved. There are openings on several ASIA Committees including the Awards committee, a newly formed Primary Care Ad hoc committee and the Americas Ad hoc committee.
If you are interested in serving as a volunteer committee member on these or another committee, please complete a committee application and send to the ASIA office – asia.office@asia-spinalinjury.org
FASIA 2018 Award Recipients
Congratulations to our first FASIA Award recipients.The inaugural Fellows of the American Spinal Injury Association were presented during a ceremony at the 2018 Scientific Meeting. Fellowship in the American Spinal Injury Association (FASIA) is bestowed by the Board of Directors in recognition of distinguished accomplishments within the fields of spinal cord injury research, clinical practice, education and advocacy, and for a longstanding active membership of service to the society. 2018 FASIA recipients include: Marcalee Alexander MD; David Apple, Jr. MD; Randal R. Betz MD; Fin Biering-Sorensen MD, PhD; Susan Charlifue PhD; Sam Colachis, III MD; Michael DeVivo, DrPH; John Ditunno, Jr. F. MD; William Donovan MD; Daniel Lammertse MD; Todd Linsenmeyer MD; Kenneth Parsons MD; Kristjan Ragnarsson MD; Mary Schmidt Read PT, DPT, MS; Lawrence Vogel MD; and William Waring , III MD
Mulcahey Award for Research in Outcomes Measurement
The first Mulcahey Award has been awarded to Christian Schuld, PhD Candidate for his abstract “Increasing the clinical value of the zones of partial preservation – A quantitative comparison of a new definition rule applicable also in incomplete lesions.” The Mulcahey Award honors MJ Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L, a recognized world expert in the rehabilitation of and measurement of outcomes specific to children with spinal cord injury and their families. Dr. Mulcahey served as the Director of Clinical Research and Rehabilitation at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia and is currently a Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy in the College of Health Professions at Thomas Jefferson University. She was also the first non-physician president of ASIA.
Translational Research or Human Neuroscience Studies in Spinal Cord Injury (TRoHNS) Award
The inaugural TRoHNS award has been presented to Haneui Kim, PhD for her abstract “Metabolic dysfunction exacerbates astrogliosis and impairs motor recovery after experimental spinal cord injury.” The TRoHNS award, sponsored by current ASIA president Keith Tansey, MD, PhD, has been instituted in alignment with ASIA’s goal to support investigators across a broader continuum of spinal cord injury science and to encourage work in under-developed areas in the field. The TRoHNS award is given for the best abstract submitted to the annual ASIA conference by a clinician or scientist involved in translational research or human neuroscience studies in spinal cord injury.
Vogel Award
The 2018 Vogel Award Recipient is Dr. Joanne Baerg for a paper titled “Cervical spine imaging for young children with inflicted 
trauma: Expanding the injury pattern”. The paper appeared in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery in May, 2017. Dr. Baerg is a Professor of Surgery at Loma Linda University and a Pediatric Surgeon at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Co-authors include Arul S. Thirumoorthi, Asma Taha, Amy Young, Alexander Zouros and Rosemary Vannix who attended the ASIA 2018 Scientific Meeting to accept the award. The Vogel Award is given for the best paper by a clinician or researcher involved in pediatric SCI rehabilitation in the preceding calendar year. The award honors Lawrence C. Vogel, MD, a recognized world expert on SCI in children. For the past 30 years, Dr. Vogel has served as the Medical Director of the SCI Program at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Chicago. He is a past president of ASIA.
New Spinal Cord Injury Fellowship
The University of Louisville, in conjunction with Frazier Rehab Institute, is pleased to announce the ACGME accreditation of a new Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship (SCIMF). The program, housed within the department of Neurosurgery at the University of Louisville, will train fellows alongside residents and medical students in the PM&R and Neurosurgery residency programs. The Fellow will be provided with the opportunity to learn all the aspects related to acute and chronic spinal cord injury medicine including diagnosis and management of traumatic and non-traumatic SCI, neurogenic bladder and bowel, sexuality and fertility, pressure ulcers, pain, spasticity management including baclofen pumps and other pertinent SCI secondary complications. Additionally, we work very closely with the Kentucky Spinal Cord Research Center. The Fellow will have access to the latest basic, transitional SCI research programs here in Louisville.
Frazier Rehabilitation Institute is a well-known, state-of-the-art SCI rehabilitation and research facility. The Fellow will be exposed to the latest SCI technology. Our SCI research program include collaboration with basic science as well as transitional SCI research projects. Research mentorship will be provided.
The program will consist of one year with the following clinical rotations and continuity clinic including Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury including one month of TBI and vent management in the neurotrauma ICU, outpatient SCIM rotations including pediatric, urology as well as consult rotation at the University of Louisville Hospital. The Fellow will have no call responsibilities. We are currently accepting post match applicants for 2018 and we will be participating in the NRMP Match for the July 2019 match and beyond. Interested Candidates should reach out to Fellowship Coordinator Patti J. Hayden for directions regarding the application process. Patti.Hayden@louisville.edu
New Board Members
The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) is pleased to announce the addition of two new board members: Mark S. Nash, PhD, FACSM and Isa A. McClure, PT, MAPT. Individuals nominated to the Board of Directors have demonstrated significant contribution to the association, either by service on committees or the scientific program, or have made significant contribution, to the field of spinal cord injury.
Isa A. McClure, PT, MAPT is an advanced clinical specialist at the Kessler institute for Rehabilitation. She received her physical therapy degree from Touro College on Long Island. She served as the Chair of the Rehabilitation Standards Committee and lead the development of Skin step for ASIA’s e-learning center. Isa is actively involved in both direct patient care as well as being a member of the Kessler Foundation Human Performance and Engineering team. She currently serves as Co-Vice Chair for ASIA’s Education Committee.
2018 Apple Award
The 2018 Apple Award is being awarded to Dr. Brian Kwon, Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia, the Canada Research Chair in Spinal Cord Injury, and holds the Dvorak Chair in Spine Trauma. As a surgeon-scientist, Dr. Kwon is particularly interested in the bi-directional process of translational research for spinal cord injury. Dr. Kwon’s paper “Spinal cord perfusion pressure predicts neurologic recovery in acute spinal cord injury” appeared in the American Academy of Neurology in October, 2017. Co-Senior author is Christopher West, PhD. Dr. West is Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, a UBC Faculty of Medicine research center that specializes in spinal cord injury. The Apple Award is for excellence in publishing in spinal cord injury rehabilitation literature. The Apple Award is named in honor of David F. Apple, Jr., MD, founding member and past-president of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)
Happy Birthday ASIA!
Happy Birthday American Spinal Injury Association! February, 2018 marks the 45th year of ASIA and the 44th Annual Scientific Meeting. During the 1960s, 
physicians and other medical professionals engaged in the treatment of spinal cord injury sought to align themselves as a group, in an effort to exchange ideas and work together toward the establishment of a model for care delivery to this patient population. The early 1970s brought support for the concept of a model of care from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (under the then Department of Health, Education and Welfare) which created the “model spinal cord injury systems” program. The program is now supported by the Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. It was out of this group the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) was created in 1973. Help us celebrate our birthday and unwavering commitment to the lives of people with spinal cord injury. Consider making a birthday donation that will be acknowledged on our website. Make a donation here.
THE INTERNATIONAL SCI URODYNAMICS BASIC DATA SET (2.0)
The International SCI Urodynamics Basic Data Set (version 2.0) is available for review. ASIA members are asked to review the SCI Urodynamics Data Set (version 2.o). If you have any suggestions or comments, kindly let Jurgen Pannek, chair of the committee know by February 28, 2018.
International SCI Urodynamics Basic Data Set (version 2.0).
THE INTERNATIONAL SCI LOWER URINARY TRACT FUNCTION BASIC DATA SET (2.0)
The International SCI Lower Urinary Tract Function Basic Data Set (version 2.0) is also available for review.
Please review the document using the link below. If have any comments or suggestions, please let the chair of the committee Fin Biering-Sørensen Fin.Biering-Soerensen@regionh.dk know by March 10, 2018.
International SCI Lower Urinary Tract Function Basic Data Set (version 2.0)
ASIA DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Consider joining this committee. The ASIA Development committee will work with the Immediate
Past-President and Executive Director to identify and seek out resources
to support the organization’s mission. Membership on this committee is an excellent way
to get involved in organizational priorities. Please let us know of your interest by emailing
Patty Duncan patty@asia-spinalinjury.org. The first committee teleconference will be
scheduled for February, 2018.
2018 Neilsen-ASIA Research Award Recipient Announced
Dr. Anne Palermo of the University of Miami has been named as the 2018 Neilsen-ASIA Research Award recipient for her study titled “Seated Trunk Stability and Orthostatic Tolerance in SCI: Targeting the Diaphragm.” The Neilsen Foundation Allied Health Professional Research Award of ASIA is a one year award of $25,000 to a clinician at the Master’s or Clinical Doctorate level. The purpose of the award is to encourage clinicians in the field of SCI to incorporate an element of research into their professional practice. Dr. Palermo will receive the award during a presentation at the 2018 ASIA Scientific Meeting in Rochester, Minnesota.Read More
ISNCSCI Training Program
The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) is excited to announce the debut of a new program highlighting a specialized ISNCSCI Training Faculty. We have been contacted by multiple agencies looking for trainers to teach staff, clinicians, and researchers the ‘accurate’ way to assess patients and potential research subjects. This project will provide the opportunity for dissemination and training of the International Standards to the entire SCI community, including current and standardized material useful for both research and clinical practice. If you are interested in being part of the training team, please contact Patricia Duncan for further details!
SkinStep Module Opens
The newest e-learning module, SkinStep is open. SkinStep addresses the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries in people with SCI. The module focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to this challenging issue. SkinStep joins other online courses, including the International Standards Training e-Learning Program, or InSTeP, a six-module course designed to enable clinicians to perform accurate and consistent neurological examinations of individuals with spinal cord injury.
2017 Vogel Award
The 2017 Vogel Award Recipient is John Shin for a paper titled “Pediatric Cervical Spine and Spinal Cord Injury: A National Database Study.” The paper appeared in Spine, February 2016. Co-authors include Lee, NJ; and Cho, SK. Mr. Shin will be presented with the Vogel Award at ASIA’s 2017 Scientific Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Vogel Award is given for the best paper by a clinician or researcher involved in pediatric SCI rehabilitation in the preceding calendar year. The award honors Lawrence C. Vogel, M.D., a recognized world expert on SCI in children. For the past 30 years, Dr. Vogel has served as the Medical Director of the SCI Program at Shriners Hospitals for children in Chicago. He is a past-president of ASIA.
2017 Apple Award
The 2017 Apple Award is being awarded to Dr. Philip Popovich for his paper titled “Gut Dysbiosis impairs recovery after spinal cord injury.” The Apple Award is for excellence in publishing in spinal cord injury rehabilitation literature. This annual prize is given at the ASIA meeting, for the best published paper by a clinician or researcher in the preceding calendar year. The Apple Award is named in honor of David F. Apple, Jr., MD, founding member and past-president of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA).
Neilsen Foundation Allied Health Professional Research Award of ASIA- 2017 Recipients Announced
Sara Kate Frye, MS OTR/L ATP, of University of Maryland Rehab Institute will receive the Neilsen Foundation Allied Health Professional Research Award for her study entitled “Evaluation of Splinting in Tetraplegia.” Meegan Van Straaten, PT, MSPH, of the Mayo Clinic will receive the Neilsen Foundation Allied Health Professional Research Award for her study entitled “The Effectiveness of a Performance and Nutrition Program for Adapted Athletes.” Ms. Frye and Ms. Van Straaten will each receive $25,000 to fund their study. Both Neilsen Foundation award recipients will also receive an award during a presentation at the 2017 ASIA Scientific Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2017 G. Heiner Sell Lectureship
The Distinguished G. Heiner Sell Lectureship will be presented at the ASIA 2017 Scientific Meeting by Dr. Jacqueline C. Bresnahan. Dr. Bresnahan is Professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Center, at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Bresnahan’s contributions to SCI research span over four decades and have focused largely on mechanisms and repair of secondary damage after SCI, as well as plasticity and regeneration. Details here.
2017 ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award
The 2017 recipient of the ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award is Professor Fin Biering-Sørensen. Dr. Biering-Sørensen is professor in Spinal Cord Injuries at University of Copenhagen, Denmark and has published more than 450 papers. The ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award is presented by ASIA to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the world of spinal cord injury care. Criteria include: career dedication; peer recognition; professional competence; and recognized achievement. Dr. Biering-Sørensen will give a talk and be honored at the ASIA 2017 Scientific Meeting in April, 2017. Details here
New: ASIA Clinic/Institutional Memberships
Become an ASIA Clinic/Institutional member to receive three MD/PHD memberships, three allied health professionals, three annual meeting registrations, four ads/announcements in the e-bulletins a year, institution banner on our website, ad in the annual meeting program, job announcements on our job board for a year. Clinic/Institutional Membership Application
In Memoriam- Dr. Ferne Pomerantz
The SCI Community mourns the passing of one of our own. Ferne Pomerantz was a longtime member of the American Spinal Injury Association and a valued member of the ASIA Rehabilitation Standards Committee. Dr. Pomerantz was Director of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation at Helen Hayes hospital. Dr. Pomerantz also served in a range of rehabilitation capacities at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, The Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation and Mt. Sinai Medical Center. Ferne Pomerantz was a mentor to many. She will be missed.
Celebrate SCI day Around the World! September 5
The International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS), on the recommendation of its Prevention Committee, has decided to observe ‘Spinal Cord Injury Day’ on September 5th every year with the goal to increase spinal cord injury (SCI) awareness amongst the general public. Spinal Cord Injury Day is an opportunity for us all to make positive changes in the lives of people with SCI, their families and improve prevention programs of SCI around the world. Read here for a list of suggested activities your institution can participate in to celebrate SCI Day.
NPSG- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)
The collaborative efforts between ASIA, ASCIP, and United Spinal have paid off!
Last January, representatives from all three organizations attended a phone conference with the Joint Commission concerning their National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) regarding Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). The planned revisions for this NPSG have been released, and they contain verbiage suggesting that special consideration be given to patients with SCI and neurogenic bladder. The Prepublication Standards can be downloaded at:
http://www.jointcommission.org/topics/hai_cauti.aspx.
Board Member in the News!
Work from the lab of Dr. Andrei Krassioukov is featured on the cover of the latest issue of the Journal of Physiology! The article was selected as Editor’s Choice for the issue.
Rigid and remodeled: Cerebrovascular structure
and function after experimental high-thoracic
spinal cord transection
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26634420
Phillips AA, Matin N, Frias B, Zheng MM, Jai M, West C, Dorrance AM, Laher I, Krassioukov AV. J Physiol. 2015 Dec 4. doi: 10.1113/JP270925.
New England Spinal Cord Injury Toolkit
Developed under the guidance of Gaylord Hospital staff, the New England Spinal Cord Injury Toolkit (NESCIT) is a collaborative effort between facilities providing spinal cord injury rehabilitation in New England. This collaboration ensures patients can receive the same coordinated standard of care wherever they receive rehabilitation.
The NESCIT initiative has the potential to significantly impact patient care in areas such as Autonomic Dysreflexia, Skin Care, Bladder Management, Neurogenic Bowels, Sexual Health and Fertility, and Spasticity. The intention was to create a resource for building capacity at facilities that may not treat patients with SCI often enough to have developed expertise. The NESCIT aims to improve functional outcomes while decreasing the frequency of complications associated with paralysis, especially for vulnerable groups discharged to long-term care facilities or home with visiting nursing services. NESCIT can be of use to professionals looking for a refresher on a topic, people that are newly injured, have a chronic injury and caregivers across the continuum of care.
Each topic begins with a standard of care that encompasses the goal of the topic, which disciplines should be involved in the delivery of the care, the process for sharing the information and the most relevant resources for the topic. Resources are offered that are appropriate, easily accessed and user friendly. You can access NESCIT from this link: www.gaylord.org/Our-Programs/Spinal-Cord/Spinal-Cord-Injury-Model-System/Spinal-Cord-Injury-Toolkit. Please refrain from printing it more than necessary. The resources and links are routinely checked to ensure the most current information is listed.
This project was funded as a National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Grant #H133N110019, #H133N120002, and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research Administration for Community Living Grant #90SI5013.
Strengthening Connections between ASIA and SCOPE
We would like to update you about successful discussion between ASIA and SCOPE that resulted in an agreement for future collaborations. ASIA values SCOPE as an important part of our organization and recognizes its unique ability to bring in partnership with industry, academia and practice that strategically constructed to advance the field of SCI medicine and rehabilitation. ASIA acknowledges the strength and possibilities of such collaboration and we support SCOPE to maintain its distinct identity that is highly valued by ASIA members. We look forward to many years of productive collaboration.
Electronic Communications Committee
We are excited to announce the formation of a brand new committee! Seeking members (especially younger members) with ideas regarding how we can change / add to our current electronic communications, INCLUDING (but not limited to), adding a linked in page, twitter feed, facebook, updating/changing the website, apps, and anything else this great group conceives to assist us in the constantly changing modern era of communication.
SPR Yields the Framework for a 3-5 Year Plan for ASIA
The ASIA BOD, with the assistance of a group of guests invited from the general membership, met in Rosemont, IL on March 21-22, 2015 for a strategic planning retreat that will chart the course for ASIA over the next 3-5 years. Working with facilitator Cate Bower, the group tackled a number of difficult issues affecting ASIA and many other not for profit organizations, with the goal of outlining a plan of action that will permit ASIA not only to grow, but to thrive in the future. Integrity, honesty, and enthusiasm were the watchwords as the group moved through a variety of exercises aimed at arriving at a distilled list of initiatives. These include the following outcome focused goals:
Education: ASIA will be a global leader in evidence-based education of SCI professionals and consumers, leading to acknowledged standards of care. Special emphasis will be placed on recruitment and retention of early career professionals as members, and on educational efforts directed to their specific professional needs.
Accountable Authority: ASIA will utilize its members’ expertise and resources to define evidence-based standards of care and identify future directions of SCI care.
Innovation and Research: ASIA will be the leader in SCI innovation, a comprehensive source of information about current knowledge, and the facilitator of the field’s collaborative efforts for people affected by SCI. ASIA will foster research activities by joining with foundations and corporate Partners to recognize excellence, and by offering research content at its annual scientific meeting.
Collaboration: ASIA will establish and leverage strategic collaborations to advance clinical care, education, and research in SCI.
Organizational Excellence: ASIA be a sustainable, transparent, and inclusive organization that operates in ways that are responsive to members and stakeholders. It will provide a mechanism for dialogue among its members and other interested parties, and will put special emphasis on the development of dynamic, multifaceted, inclusive future leaders.
Combined Meeting With ISCOS a Success In Montreal
Nearly 900 attendees participated in the events surrounding the fourth combined meeting of ASIA and ISCoS held at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec from May 14-16. International representatives and Americans convened for three days of scientific presentations as well as small workshops, round table discussions, and general fellowship. The organizing committee, headed by ASIA Board members John Steeves, Ph.D. of Vancouver, and Susie Charlifue, Ph.D. of Denver, and ably led by local host Serge Rossignol, M.D., Ph.D. worked tirelessly on the scientific program and many of the logistical details. French-Canadian hospitality was in evidence throughout as the city welcomed its visitors. The hotel was superbly suited for the event, and initial evaluations of the conference were uniformly positive. Additional details on the meeting will be featured in the July eBulletin, when more details are available.
New Committee Chairs Named–Retiring Chairs Receive Praise for Many Achievements
As of the 2015 ASIA/ISCOS meeting in May, the following committees have new chairs: Advocacy (Health Policy Advocacy Committee): Dr. Matthew Davis Directors’ Nominating: Dr. Michael Haak International Standards: Dr. William Waring Journal: Dr. John Steeves Membership: Dr. Maureen Miner Research and Awards: Dr. Mark Nash. ASIA extends sincere thanks to the retiring chairs of these committees: Advocacy: Dr. Dirk Alander Directors’ Nominating: Dr. Lawrence Vogel International Standards: Dr. Steven Kirshblum Journal: Dr. Debbie Backus Membership: Dr. Greg Nemunaitis Research and Awards: Dr. Anthony DiMarco.
Michael Boninger, M.D. Gives Sell Lecture; P. Hunter Peckham, Ph.D. Receives Lifetime Achievement Award; Edelle Field-Fote, P.T., Ph.D., FAPTA Presents ASIA Lecture
Michael Boninger, M.D. of the University of Pittsburgh presented the G. Heiner Sell Memorial Lectureship at the Montreal meeting. The lectureship has been given annually since 1982, and is named for Dr. Sell, who died in 1981 when he was President-Elect of ASIA. Dr. Boninger’s topic was: ”The Future of Neural Prosthetics in SCI.” P. Hunter Peckham, Ph.D. of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH received the 2015 ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Peckham has distinguished himself through a career of research and clinical impact of functional electrical stimulation and its application to individuals with spinal cord injury. Edelle Field-Fote, P.T., Ph.D., FAPTA presented a special ASIA lecture at the combined meeting. Director of SCI Research at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Dr. Field-Fote’s topic was: “Neuroscience at the Nexus of the Lab and Clinic: Using Stimulation and Practice to Drive Adaptive Neural Plasticity.”
Apple Award Presented
The 2015 Apple Award was awarded to Meegan G. Van Straaten, PT, MSPH, of the Motion Analysis Laboratory, Division of Orthopedic Research, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Her article, which appeared in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, is entitled: “Effectiveness of Home Exercise on Pain, Function, and Strength of Manual Wheelchair Users with Spinal Cord Injury: A High-Dose Shoulder Program with Telerehabilitation.” Her co-authors are: Beth A. Cloud, DPT; Melissa M. Morrow, PhD; Paula M. Ludewig, PhD, PT; and Kristin D. Zhao, PhD.
This is the ninth year ASIA has presented The Apple Award for excellence in publishing in the spinal cord injury rehabilitation literature. This award is named in honor of David F. Apple, Jr., MD, founding member and past-president of ASIA.
Vogel Award Presented for First Time
For the first time, the Vogel Award for excellence in publishing in the pediatric rehabilitation literature was awarded. Sponsored by the Pediatric Committee, the inaugural award was presented to Feng Tian for “Tracking Functional Status Across the Spinal Cord Injury Lifespan: Linking Pediatric and Adult Patient- Reported Outcome Scores.” This article also appeared in “Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.” Co-authors are: P.Ni; M.J. Mulcahey; R. Hambleton; D. Tulsky, S. Haley, and A. Jette. The award honors Lawrence C. Vogel, M.D., a recognized world expert on SCI in children. For the past 30 years, Dr. Vogel has served as the Medical Director of the SCI Program at Shriners Hospitals for children in Chicago. He is a past-president of ASIA.
ASIA Officers Move Up
During the Montreal meeting, ASIA President Michael H. Haak, M.D. of Danville, PA, ended his two year term, and moved to the position of Past-President. In his remarks at the annual membership meeting, he thanked those whose assistance helped him to successfully navigate the course of ASIA during his 2013-2015 tenure. MJ Mulcahey, Ph.D. of Philadelphia, succeeded him as President; Keith Tansey, M.D., Ph.D. of Atlanta,is now President-Elect; and rounding out the ASIA Executive Committee, Andrei Krassioukov, M.D., Ph.D. of Vancouver, BC, moved to the position of Secretary-Treasurer. Dirk Alander, M.D. of St. Louis and Greg Nemunaitis, M.D. of Cleveland have joined the Board. Two members retired from their Board service in Montreal: Lawrence Vogel, M.D. of Chicago as Past-President; and John Steeves, Ph.D. of Vancouver.
Two New Directors Named
Two new directors have jointed the ASIA board. They are: Greg Nemunaitis, M.D.,and Dirk Alander, M.D. Dr. Nemunaitis is Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Director of the Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship and of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine/MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, OH. He is a board certified physiatrist with subspecialty certification in SCI Medicine and has more than 25 years of experience in the field. Dr. Nemunaitis served as Chairman of the ASIA Membership Committee. Dr. Alander is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO, with which he has been associated since 2003. He holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in SCI Medicine from the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is currently President of the Missouri State Orthopaedic Association and immediate Past-President of the St. Louis Orthopedic Society. Dr. Alander served as Chairman of the ASIA Health Policy Advocacy Committee.
SCOPE Clinical Trials Tables
The SCOPE CLINICAL TRIALS TABLES are updated on a quarterly basis on both the ASIA and SCOPE websites. SCOPE provides this information as a service to the field. The tables contain ongoing clinical trials in SCI that may be of interest to ASIA members and other clinicians and researchers in SCI medicine. There are two tables: Current SCI Clinical Trials of Drug, Cell, and Surgical Interventions, and Current SCI Clinical Trials of Rehabilitation and Technological Interventions. Go to the ASIA website or the SCOPE website (www.scope-sci.org) for the complete tables. SCOPE is grateful to Daniel P. Lammertse, M.D. for his ongoing commitment to the revision of these tables.
eLearning Center News–Neilsen Foundation Makes $55,000 Award; RHI Commits $10,000
The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation has made an award to ASIA in the amount of $55,000 for upgrades and enhancements of the eLearning Center InSTeP and WeeSTeP modules. Work should be completed in 2015. In addition to technical enhancements, the modules will become usable on hand held devices via an app. Stay tuned for more details. The Neilsen Foundation was a founding partner in the endowment that supports the eLearning Center, and ASIA is very grateful for its ongoing generosity. Rick Hansen Institute, also a founding partner in the eLearning endowment, has also committed to the eLearning Center upgrade project, in the amount of $10,000. RHI has been an ASIA partner for many years, and its support of ASIA initiatives has made a significant difference in many areas. ASIA sincerely thanks RHI for its support.
ISCoS Observerships
The International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) offers international Observerships as an educational initiative. They are designed to provide an exchange of knowledge and training by providing talented medical and paramedical professionals an opportunity to observe established practices in the area of comprehensive spinal cord injury management. For additional information, go to www.iscos.org.
