Each year, the Spinal Research Institute awards SCI Research Collaboration Grants to support attendance at the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) Annual Scientific Meeting. These grants are designed to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and to build relationships between individuals, institutions and countries involved in spinal cord research. They also provide an opportunity to connect with institutions and organisations that support the grant recipient’s area of research.
We are pleased to announce the eight recipients of the SCI Research Collaboration Grant for 2024. They will be travelling to Antwerp, Belgium to participate in the 63rd International Spinal Cord Society Annual Scientific Meeting (ISCoS 2024), from 22-25 September 2024.
Top: Leena R Chaudhari, Maria Cunha, Ryan Dorrian, Kanishka Gambhir
Bottom: Natalia Padula, Angela Hanks Philippus, Srisankavi Sivasankar, Laura Stendell
A brief bio of each grant recipient is below.
Leena R Chaudhari – India
Leena R Chaudhari is a PhD student and Junior Research Fellow at D.Y. Patil Education Society in Kolhapur. Her research focuses on developing tissue-engineered spinal cords, unlocking potential to heal damaged neural connections and restore function in people with SCI.
Maria Cunha – Portugal
Maria Ribeiro-Cunha, MD, is a PhD candidate and physiatrist specialising in SCI rehabilitation. Her research focuses on unravelling how gut dysbiosis impacts post-SCI outcomes, including neuroinflammation and functional recovery by investigating microbial composition changes.
Ryan Dorrian – Australia
Ryan Dorrian is a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide’s SCI Research Group. Focusing on secondary complications such as neuropathic pain, bladder impairment and cognitive dysfunction, he is researching a novel electrical stimulation device to improve outcomes post-SCI.
Kanishka Gambhir – India
Kanishka Gambhir is completing a masters of physiotherapy at the Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. Her research investigates the efficacy of inspiratory muscle training in enhancing sitting balance and respiratory function.
Natalia Padula – Brazil
Natalia Padula is a physiotherapist researching longitudinal care of adults and elderly individuals with SCI. This includes physical activity, exercise participation, metabolic assessments, prevention of secondary complications, health education, and epidural stimulation.
Angela Hanks Philippus – US
Angela Hanks Philippus is a Research Project Specialist at the University of Minnesota managing research on traumatic injuries, including SCI. Angela is pursuing a doctorate on psychosocial factors that contribute to participation and positive outcomes after traumatic injury.
Srisankavi Sivasankar – Australia
Srisankavi Sivasankar is a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide. Her research employs advanced behavioural assessments and analytical techniques to characterise secondary SCI complications, which her research aims to ameliorate through novel electrical stimulation therapy.
Laura Stendell – Australia
Laura Stendell is a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney and she is also a Senior Physiotherapist working in neurological rehabilitation. Laura’s research focuses on physical activity behaviours in middle-aged and older people with SCI.
