Conference Objectives

At the conclusion of this conference, attendees will:

• Understand and identify the most recent clinical trials in spinal cord injury regeneration strategies and identify interventions that have been approved versus commercially available unproven unapproved approaches.

• Understand the possibilities of spinal cord injury, from stem cells to activity-based restoration therapies, by examining the Neurorehabilitative Restoration of spinal cord injury.

• Understand the use of stem cells in humans to cure paralysis, including the major steps that must be taken, the types of stem cells being used, what must be done before these experimental approaches can be tested in humans and the expected benefit of stem cells.

• Understand the relationship between stem cells, embryos and ethics by; recognizing the social and political importance of reaching a public consensus regarding the future of stem cell research; distinguishing between embryonic stem cells and pluripotent stem cells; and understanding the unique scientific and medical value of pluripotent stem cell research.

• Understand and be able to access the community resource organizations which serve individuals with disabilities living throughout New England.