Dr. Robert Rennaker, along with his team of co-principal investigators (Co-PIs), Dr. Seth Hays, Dr. Michael Kilgard, and Chad Swank, have been awarded a $2,341,089 Phase II grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for their research on Enhancing Recovery of Lower Limb Function after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). This award will support the growth of a new therapeutic method that combines vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with rehabilitative exercises to support synaptic plasticity and improve locomotion recovery.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects an anticipated 250,000 individuals in the United States, and gait recovery remains one of the most significant challenges in SCI rehabilitation. For this project, the team has developed a promising strategy using VNS to stimulate the vagus nerve, encouraging the release of neuromodulators that enhance motor function. Early studies have shown that this approach has the potential to restore arm and hand function after a stroke, and promising primary data suggests similar benefits for individuals with incomplete cervical SCI.

The goal of this project is to complete a closed-loop VNS system for lower limb recovery, combining sensors to specifically trigger stimulation during therapeutic exercises. The research team will then conduct a pilot study before launching a larger, randomized, double-blinded trial to assess the therapy’s effectiveness. This project reflects a critical step toward clinical translation and has the potential to transform SCI rehabilitation, furthering scientific advancement in the field of neuroengineering.