In this episode, scientists at Kessler Foundation share how promising research is opening new pathways for individuals living with spinal cord injury and changing the landscape of recovery. This podcast is from the second event in our three-part Spinal Cord Injury Community Event Series, held on November 14, 2025.

Kessler Foundation’s SCI research addresses mobility, pain and spasticity management, prevention of secondary complications, and addresses systemic challenges such as employment barriers and caregiver well-being. Recovery is about more than movement—it’s about reclaiming independence, managing health challenges, and improving quality of life for individuals and their caregivers.

In this podcast, Drs. Steven Kirshblum, Ghaith Androwis, Gail Forrest, Einat Engel-Haber, and Trevor Dyson-Hudson, share their expertise on exciting advancements in spinal cord injury research.

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Kessler Foundation Investigator:

Jeanne Zanca, PhD, MPT, https://kesslerfoundation.org/aboutus/Jeanne-Zanca

Steven Kirshblum, MD, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/steven-kirshblum-md

Ghaith J. Androwis, PhD, https://kesslerfoundation.org/aboutus/Ghaith%20Androwis

Gail Forrest, PhD, https://kesslerfoundation.org/aboutus/Gail%20Forrest

Einat Engel-Haber, MD, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/einat-engel-haber-md

Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD, https://kesslerfoundation.org/aboutus/Trevor%20Dyson-Hudson

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EXPLORE our spinal cord injury research:
Center for Spinal Cord Injury Research, https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-spinal-cord-injury-research

Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/tim-and-caroline-reynolds-center-spinal-stimulation

PARTICIPATE:
Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to kesslerfoundation.org/join

LISTEN to all the series podcasts:
https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/spinal-cord-injury-research

RESOURCE links:

https://kesslerfoundation.org/join

scitrialsfinder.net

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LOOKING FOR MORE PODCASTS? 

Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates.

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in November 2025.

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Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at [email protected].

In honor of Brain Injury Awareness Month, this recorded webinar highlights how Kessler Foundation advances traumatic brain injury research through collaboration across disciplines.

Led by Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, Director of the Centers for Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuroscience and Neuropsychology Research, the discussion features insights from Brian M. Sandroff, PhD and Silvana Lopes Costa, PhD. Together, they explore how cross‑functional collaboration—spanning research, neuroscience, neuropsychology, and beyond—drives innovation and accelerates progress in TBI research.

Viewers gain a behind‑the‑scenes look at how ideas move from investigation to real‑world impact at Kessler Foundation, and how collaborative science helps improve outcomes for individuals affected by brain injury.

Whether you are a researcher, clinician, student, advocate, or community member, this timely conversation offers valuable perspective on the future of TBI research and the power of working together to advance discovery.

In this webinar:

00:00 - Welcome - Shelby Neilsen

01:49 - Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD

22:29 - Brian M. Sandroff, PhD

36:34 - Silvana Lopes Costa, PhD

45:00 - Q&A

53:00 - Wrap-up

Learn more about Kessler Foundation’s TBI research at: https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/traumatic-brain-injury

To Join a Study or Learn More Ways to Get Involved visit: https://kesslerfoundation.org/ways-get-involved

Read the transcript:

https://kesslerfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/RLS%20-%20What%E2%80%99s%20next%20in%20TBI%20Research-Transcript.pdf

View the slides:

https://kesslerfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/RLS%20-%20What%E2%80%99s%20next%20in%20TBI%20Research%20Webinar-Slides.pdf

In this episode of BrainWaves, hear the powerful story of Craig Philips who overcame a brain injury sustained in childhood to find purpose and hope. Learn practical tips on acceptance and recovery. Discover how simple home changes can boost safety and independence. Understand the importance of balance and where to find free resources. Finally, explore the science behind music therapy and its role in healing the brain. This episode is brought to you by the Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Model System and Kessler Foundation.

Articles

00:00:00 - Welcome and Introduction

00:00:45 - Finding Second Chances

00:03:48 - The Road to Empowerment

00:04:46 - Change Your Space to Change Your Life

00:07:06 - Safety in Balance

00:08:05 - Music as Medicine

00:09:22 - Musical Approach to Treatment

00:010:02 - Episode Wrap Up

For more information:

READ this TBI Brainwaves newsletter (https://kesslerfoundation.org/newsletter/brainwaves-spring-2026-finding-second-chances)

LISTEN to past Brainwaves audio newsletters: https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/brainwaves-audio-newsletter

LEARN MORE—TBI Facts Sheets from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center msktc.org/tbi/factsheets

PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies

Production Notes

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith , Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation (March 2026).

Accessibility

Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at [email protected].

In this episode, Karen Olson shares her deeply personal journey, marked by early tragedy and perseverance. Following a fall that resulted in spinal cord injury, her life became significantly more challenging, requiring her to adapt to new physical and emotional realities. These challenges built on earlier hardship, including the loss of her mother to suicide at age twelve, which had already shaped her resilience and compassion for others.

Despite these obstacles, Karen found ways to move forward. With determination, a positive outlook, and specialized therapy, she rebuilt her life. She learned to paint with her non-dominant hand and completed her book, Meant for More, a reflection of resilience and renewed purpose.

LEARN MORE about Karen, https://www.karenolsonauthor.com/

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RESEARCH: https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-spinal-cord-injury-research

EXPLORE our spinal cord injury research, https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/spinal-cord-injury

LEARN MORE about the Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury System (NNJSCIS), https://kesslerfoundation.org/northern-nj-sci-model-system

PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies

Production Notes

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith , Sr. Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation (March 2026).

Accessibility

Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at [email protected].

In this episode, we explore Kessler Foundation’s latest research revealing how neighborhood economic status, physical environment, and access to healthcare influence quality of life after spinal cord injury. Discover how these environmental factors affect health, independence, and participation. Learn why this matters for improving rehabilitation and community support for people with disabilities.

READ the full study, Development of Composite Measures of Neighborhood Economic Factors for Use in Spinal Cord Injury Outcomes Studies: A Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Database Study (2024), pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39151747/

LEAD INVESTIGATOR: Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/amanda-botticello-phd-mph

LEARN about our Outcomes and Assessment research, https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-outcomes-and-assessment-research

READ all our Real-Life Science summaries, https://kesslerfoundation.org/newsletter/real-life-science

LISTEN to all our Real-Life Science summaries, soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science

EXPLORE our spinal cord injury research, https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/spinal-cord-injury

PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org//join-our-research-studies?field_research_categories_target_id[302]=302

Production Notes

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith , Sr. Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation (March 2026).

Accessibility

Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at [email protected]..

Karen Nolan, associate director in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering at Kessler Foundation, sat down with Heather Rose of Radio Free Roanoke for a powerful conversation on her work in traumatic brain injury research and her role as a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

LEARN more about Kessler Foundation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us

Make a Gift, https://kesslerfoundation.org/?form=GiveKessler

Used with permission: @radiofreeroanoke

Michele Pignatello, Chief Development Officer and Vice President, Development and Communications at Kessler Foundation, spoke to Radio LoRa Switzerland about our work to improve quality of life for people with disabilities through discovery, innovation, demonstration, application, and dissemination.

LEARN more about Kessler Foundation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us

Make a Gift, https://kesslerfoundation.org/?form=GiveKessler

Used with permission: Radio LoRa Switzerland

www.facebook.com/LoRa97.5

www.instagram.com/radiolora97.5

People with progressive multiple sclerosis often experience slowed cognitive processing speed. Researchers from Kessler Foundation analyzed data from the international CogEx trial, involving over 300 participants using brain training and exercise over 12 weeks. They found that improvement in cognitive speed varied, with better memory and higher pre-symptom IQ predicting greater gains. Factors like age, gender, or disability status did not affect outcomes. These findings highlight the need for personalized rehabilitation tailored to individuals’ cognitive profiles, moving beyond one-size-fits-all treatments.

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Kessler Foundation Investigators:
Lead: Brian Sandroff, PhD

https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/brian-m-sandroff-phd

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READ this journal article:

“Correlates of Processing Speed Change With Combined Cognitive Rehabilitation and Exercise in Progressive MS: Secondary Analysis of the CogEx Trial,” was published in Neurorehabilitation & Neural Repair (2025), https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15459683251331586

PARTICIPATE:
Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies

LISTEN to more Real-Life Science Summaries:
https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science

This Real-Life Science summary is part of our series that translates peer-reviewed research into practical, real-world understanding.

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LOOKING FOR MORE PODCASTS?

Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates.

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Sr. Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in December 2025.

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Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at [email protected].

Nearly two-thirds of autistic adults face unemployment, often due to workplace misunderstandings around communication styles rather than ability. This episode explores research from Kessler Foundation that uses a novel voicemail elicitation task to assess polite language use among autistic youth in mock work scenarios. Discover how perceived impoliteness arises from pragmatic differences in language and what this means for job interviews, teamwork, and employee relationships. Learn practical tips for autistic individuals preparing for employment and strategies employers can implement to foster better understanding and inclusion.

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Kessler Foundation Investigators:
Lead: Heba E. Elsayed, MD

https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/heba-elsayed-md

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READ this journal article:

“Voicemail Elicitation Task: Potential workplace communication assessment tool for autistic individuals” (Research in Autism, 2025) doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2025.1539887.

EXPLORE our autism research:
https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-for-autism-research

LEARN more about KF-STRIDE, https://kfstride.org

PARTICIPATE:
Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies

LISTEN to more Real-Life Science Summaries:
https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science

=====================================================================================

LOOKING FOR MORE PODCASTS?

Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates.

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in December 2025.

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Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at [email protected].

Opinion: Why Cognitive Care in MS Needs a Team Approach

By John DeLuca, PhD, Senior Vice President, Research and Training, Kessler Foundation

This episode shares expert opinion on how cognitive changes in multiple sclerosis should be understood and treated. Changes in thinking and memory are complex and can be affected by many factors, such as mood, heart and blood vessel health, and daily lifestyle habits.

Based on the work and clinical perspective of Dr. John DeLuca and colleagues, the episode argues that an interdisciplinary care approach where professionals work together as one coordinated team may be more effective than traditional multidisciplinary care. This type of teamwork supports a fuller understanding of each person’s cognitive needs.

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Kessler Foundation Investigators:

Lead: John DeLuca, PhD,
https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/john-deluca-phd

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READ this journal article:
“Controversies in Multiple Sclerosis: An interdisciplinary approach is necessary in the treatment of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis,” published in Multiple Sclerosis Journal (2025). doi:10.1177/13524585251315357.

PARTICIPATE:
Interested in participating in our MS research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies

LISTEN to more Real-Life Science Summaries:
https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science

This Real-Life Science summary is part of our series that translates peer-reviewed research into practical, real-world understanding.

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LOOKING FOR MORE PODCASTS?
Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates.

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Senior Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in December 2025.

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Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at [email protected].