BioSpine, a Queensland-based research program at Griffith University, supported by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) was recently featured on one of Australia’s leading current affair programs, The Project.
Spearheaded by Dr Claudio Pizzolato and Dr Dinesh Palipana, the groundbreaking BioSpine program combines various rehabilitation technologies and drug therapy to help people with a spinal cord injury (SCI) walk again through the power of thought.
Five participants trialled the pioneering BioSpine technology for a year and all experienced improvements in muscle development and bone density.
“From our five BioSpine participants, two started with no voluntary movement or sensation from below their spinal cord injury. By the end of the trial, they regained some movement and sensation,” Dr Palipana said.
“Most spinal cord injuries are not where the spinal cord is severed completely. Usually there’s a little bit of spinal cord left that we could reorganise or strengthen the signals.”
MAIC research identified road crashes as one of the leading causes of spinal cord injury in Australia that cost the Australian healthcare system and society an estimated $2 billion per year.
Queensland’s Insurance Commissioner, Neil Singleton, is proud MAIC is taking a proactive step to support innovation in the recovery sector for those impacted by road trauma.
“MAIC is committed to supporting world-leading research projects to boost rehabilitation and the quality of life for Queenslanders impacted by road crash injuries,” Mr Singleton said.
“Our ongoing support for BioSpine is helping bring together some of the best experts, such as Dr Dinesh Palipana, to explore some of the most promising advances in human history for spinal cord injury.”
BioSpine has the potential to completely transform the way spinal injury patients are rehabilitated.
View BioSpine on The Project