Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCI) are primarily caused by mechanical damage to the central nervous system, with road traffic accidents and falls as main causes. They result in impairment of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions, thus requiring tailored and personalised treatment strategies. Plasticity can result in new connections and neural circuits, contributing to a compensatory recovery of function. There is substantial progress in understanding the cascade of cellular and molecular events, but there are still no effective interventions that mitigate the extent of damage, and current treatment strategies have proven insufficiently effective in patients. Conventional therapies focus on resolving individual aspects of SCI, thereby neglecting synergies to tackle multiple targets simultaneously. Technological advances in drug delivery systems, biomaterials, electronics, and robotics have resulted in novel developments to regain lost function after SCI. ReWIRE is evolving and combining these technological advances. The overall goal is to translate combinatorial SCI therapies from bench to bedside in a timely manner, thereby improving the quality of life and reducing societal burden.
In ReWIRE, the Doctoral Candidates are exposed to basic SCI science and repair strategies, as well as cutting-edge technologies in related scientific fields. A special focus is set on personalised therapies, including tailored rehabilitation programs. To achieve this, ReWIRE is merging the following three key developments:
i) reactivation, stimulation, and attraction of nerve growth using drug delivery systems
ii) support and guidance of nerve growth with biomaterial bridges
iii) enhancement and stabilization of nerve growth by inducing plasticity via electrical stimulation, robotics, and rehabilitation
ReWIRE is set up to equip next-generation scientists with unique skills to develop ground-breaking therapeutic solutions for patients with SCI. ReWIRE’s first objective is to establish an international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral educational network that develops and links high-tech routes into new personalized, combinatorial approaches to rewire the spinal cord. The second objective is to build a clinical data platform for SCI. The third objective is to position Europe at the forefront of therapy for SCI.
The training and research parts are focused on developing the next generation specialists and technologies in the European Research Area. Specifically, ReWIRE aims to establish meaningful functional recovery by combining axonal regrowth and reconnection with new neuronal circuits, controlled by the brain and boosted by neuromodulation. The overall goal is to translate combinatorial SCI therapies from bench to bedside in a timely manner, thereby improving the quality of life and reducing societal burden. The convergent approach will lead to combinatorial therapies to repair the spinal cord after injury, which, to date, has not been successful using individual therapies.
