Applications open: 30 April – 24 May 2026 (11:59pm AEST)

As part of the Spinal Research Institute’s commitment to building research capability and strengthening international collaboration in spinal cord injury (SCI) research, the SCI Research Collaboration Grants support eligible Early Career Clinicians and Researchers (ECRs) who are the lead and presenting author of an accepted abstract at the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) Annual Scientific Meeting.

The grants support recipients to attend and present at ISCoS 2026, participate in pre-conference courses and workshops, and strengthen international research collaboration. Through active presentation and engagement, recipients contribute to global knowledge exchange and build cross-institutional partnerships. Together, these collaborations strengthen international research networks, support multi-centre partnerships, and advance high-quality, consumer-informed research that improves outcomes for people living with SCI.

The 65th International Spinal Cord Society Annual Scientific Meeting (ISCoS 2026) will take place 7–10 October 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
hosted in collaboration with the 25th Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN) Conference.

The SCI Research Collaboration Grants are provided with the generous support of the SRI Patron’s Program Future Leaders of SCI Research initiative.

The SRI supports diversity in culture, nationality, gender, and ability.

Applicants with lived experience of SCI are encouraged to apply.
Applicants working in low-resource settings, including those based in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), are encouraged to apply.

During the 2022 ISCoS Annual Scientific Meeting the SRI’s International Research Collaborations Manager, Emma Peleg, and Chief Executive Officer, Kristine Hendry, spoke with Dr Jennifer Coker about the importance of the SCI Research Collaboration Grants in assisting early career researchers to attend ISCoS meetings. Listen to the podcast.

Dr Jennifer Coker also spoke to SCI Research Collaboration Grant recipients Merna Seliman and Nattha Boonthanakorn about their experience as early career researchers and first-time attendees at ISCoS 2022. Listen to the podcast.

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