New Translational Research Program Awards Initial Grants to PM&R and Neurological Surgery Department Researchers

In mid-2024, the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences announced the creation of the Hunter Family Foundation Traumatic Brain Injury Translational Research Program. This initiative, made possible by the generous support of the Hunter family, seeks to accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into practical treatments for central nervous system injuries.

The new program is focused on supporting research projects that advance neurotechnological innovations toward commercialization, funding efforts such as proof-of-concept research and the development of prototypes to bring new therapies closer to clinical application for patients.

The first two grants awarded by the Hunter TBI Program, each in the amount of $100,000, went to University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine faculty Jennifer Collinger, PhD, associate professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Marco Capogrosso, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery. The grants will support their ongoing respective research efforts.

At a high level, Dr. Collinger’s research efforts are focused on developing brain-computer interfaces (BCI) designed to restore arm and hand function for individuals with quadriplegia, allowing them to communicate with a robotic arm and hand to perform functional tasks.

Dr. Capogrosso’s research primarily focuses on developing new neurotechnologies to stimulate electrodes implanted in the brains of individuals who have experienced a spinal cord injury or stroke to allow them to regain control of their hands after paralysis.

“These types of projects greatly help Pitt research discoveries generate interest from biotech companies and industry, but it’s very challenging to find funding to support them,” says Evan Facher, vice chancellor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Pittsburgh, and associate dean for commercial translation, at the School of Medicine. “That’s what makes the Hunter family gift especially exciting — it will help place more of our robust discovery research on the path to becoming commercialization opportunities more quickly than they otherwise would.”

The Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL): Collaborative Research to Improve Quality of Life for Individuals with Neurological Impairments

In addition to their respective academic appointments in the PM&R and Neurological Surgery departments, both Dr. Collinger and Dr. Capogrosso are lab leaders and members of the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs (RNEL) at the University of Pittsburgh.

RNEL is a collection of 8 independent yet collaborative and interdisciplinary research dedicated to advancing neurorehabilitation through interdisciplinary research that bridges neuroscience, engineering, and clinical medicine. RNEL's mission is to develop and translate novel neurotechnologies and therapies to improve motor and sensory function in individuals with neurological impairments.

The labs focus on several core research areas, including the development of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that enable individuals with paralysis to control external devices, such as robotic limbs, through direct neural signals. These systems integrate motor control and sensory feedback to create more natural and effective user experiences. Another significant research avenue involves spinal cord stimulation techniques aimed at restoring motor and sensory function in individuals with spinal cord injuries and stroke. This research explores both basic science and translational approaches to optimize stimulation protocols and understand mechanisms of recovery.

Additionally, RNEL is working on advanced prosthetic technologies that use muscle signals to provide more intuitive and refined control of artificial limbs, improving the functionality and adaptability of these devices. The labs also investigate ways to promote neural plasticity and regeneration, aiming to enhance the efficacy of rehabilitation techniques. Finally, RNEL investigators are working to develop and deploy assistive technology interventions and training methods to improve independence and participation.

At present, RNEL members are engaged in a number of active clinical trials. In addition to the work that Dr. Collinger and Dr. Capogrosso are engaged in, there are studies in progress related to upper and lower limb amputations, stroke, spinal muscular atrophy, and spinal cord injuries.

Collectively, RNEL’s researchers are working to move innovative neurotechnologies from bench to bedside, with a focus on improving independence and quality of life for individuals with significant motor and sensory deficits caused by injury or illness.

More About Dr. Collinger’s Research

Dr. Collinger’s research and that of her collaborators, including RNEL investigators Robert Gaunt, PhD, and Michael Boninger, MD, focuses on developing and refining brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) coupled to robotic upper limbs to restore upper limb function in individuals with quadriplegia. Her and her colleague’s approach allow patients to control robotic arms and hands through brain signals captured by neural implant arrays. This work has been ongoing for more than a decade and has made numerous contributions and advances to BCI research. They have expanded to include a second clinical trial site at the University of Chicago with scientific collaborations at Carnegie Mellon University and Northwestern University.

An ongoing focus of the BCI research at Pitt involves integrating sensory feedback into BCI systems, which the team has shown in prior work, more recently in a paper published in Science in 2021, significantly improves the control and speed of the robotic device controlled by the participant. The study published in Science showed that incorporating the sense of touch into the BCI enabled the study participant to complete tasks in half the time it previously took them using the same device using visual feedback alone.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, her team accelerated the development of a portable version of their BCI system that was in progress, allowing study participants to continue using BCIs at home as part of their clinical trials. This advance has led to further insights into improving the reliability of BCIs for potential long-term, daily use, which ultimately will be necessary for making this kind of technology viable outside of the highly controlled settings of research labs.

Dr. Collinger’s current research also aims to improve the precision of control of the robotic arm, such as the ability to manipulate individual fingers and adjust grip force. To achieve this, the research team is focused on restoring or mimicking the sense of touch, which is essential for tasks requiring fine motor control. Fellow RNEL investigator, Dr. Gaunt, is leading efforts to restore sensation by stimulating the sensory cortex. By improving both the stability of brain-controlled movement and the feedback patients receive from the device, Dr. Collinger’s work is moving toward more practical applications of this type of assistive technology in everyday settings, though everyday wide-spread adoption of such a platform is still many years away.

Dr. Collinger and her collaborators at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh continue to investigate ways to make BCIs more reliable, working to minimize variability in the system that may arise due to factors such as user fatigue or attention. Ultimately, the goal is to create BCIs that can function consistently and accurately, empowering individuals with quadriplegia or other issues rendering their upper extremities inoperable to regain a higher degree of independence

More About Dr. Capogrosso’s Research

With a background in bioengineering and neuroscience, Dr. Capogrosso’s research is centered on developing neural technologies to restore motor function in individuals with paralysis.

A major focus of Dr. Capogrosso’s work involves spinal cord stimulation to reactivate movement in people who have lost motor control due to spinal cord injury or stroke. He has pioneered research using electrical stimulation of the spinal cord to enable paralyzed individuals to regain voluntary control over their limbs, a breakthrough that has significant implications for neurorehabilitation. By understanding the mechanisms of spinal cord circuits and how electrical stimulation can modulate them, Dr. Capogrosso’s lab is working to design effective neuromodulation therapies that can be translated into clinical practice.

His research leverages computational modeling and experimental neuroscience to optimize stimulation protocols. One of his notable contributions includes developing stimulation systems that allow fine control of upper limb movements, which has opened new avenues for restoring functional motor skills. Beyond spinal cord injury, his work has also expanded into exploring the potential of spinal cord stimulation for stroke rehabilitation, aiming to help patients recover arm and hand function more effectively.

Dr. Capogrosso's lab is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of neuromodulation technology and translating these advancements into impactful treatments that can improve the independence and quality of life for individuals living with severe motor disabilities.

Additional Reading

Pitt Med Magazine: Fall 2024 Edition. Purposeful. Powerful.

University of Pittsburgh: Health Sciences Release.