About Spinal Research

The purpose of Spinal Research has always been to fund research into the repair of human spinal cord injuries.

This research has been very successful and has now reached the stage where some techniques for partial repair of spinal cord lesions have been demonstrated in animal models. It is probable that if the same techniques could be used in human spinal cord injury patients they would show an improvement in their condition, although not a complete cure. The first trials of these treatments on paralysed people are therefore now being contemplated.

As Europe's major spinal cord injury charity, Spinal Research sees it as its duty to help provide the infrastructure that will be necessary to make it possible for these experimental techniques to be applied to the treatment of paralysed people.

The charity has started two new initiatives to make this possible; the Research Network and the Clinical Initiative.

Repair of spinal cord injuries will require a combination of several different treatments, and so Spinal Research has moved quickly to set up the Research Network to deal with this difficult task. All the laboratories funded by Spinal Research are part of this network, which holds regular meetings to co-ordinate the many strands of spinal injury research.

Spinal Research is determined that patients with spinal cord injuries will receive treatments as soon as possible. These two initiatives will ensure there is no delay in translating the successful basic research programme into effective treatments.

The Research Network plays a crucial role in speeding up the process of moving from research into development.

"It is only possible to fund innovative projects like these because of the generous donations we receive from our supporters. This is why it is so important to support our research in whatever way you can," the charity says.

Our history

In the late 1970s a young man called Stewart Yesner broke his neck in a car accident. Like many others before him he was told that nothing could be done to treat his condition.

The consensus of medical opinion at that time was that a successful treatment for spinal cord injury paralysis was unlikely, hence research into finding a cure for spinal cord injury was almost non-existent.

Stewart decided to set up a charity with one simple aim - to raise money to fund research into ending the permanence of paralysis caused by broken necks and backs. He tracked down a small number of scientists around the world who were working with the central nervous system and started raising money to fund research.

In 1980 this young visionary registered the International Spinal Research Trust with the Charity Commissioners in London.

From its humble beginnings Spinal Research has raised over £12 million and now plays a leading role in the worldwide research effort.