Applying the principles of regenerative medicine to spinal cord injury rehabilitation: The Ernest Bors, MD Award for Scientific Development

Each year, the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, official journal of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, offers the Ernest Bors, MD Award for Scientific Development to qualified authors whose work was published in the Journal.¹ The award memorializes Ernest “Pappy” Bors, MD, (1900–1990), a pioneer in the care of veterans disabled by spinal cord injury. Since 1990, this award has acknowledged excellence in spinal cord injury research among early career professionals who share Dr. Bors’ dedication to transforming the future of people living with spinal cord injury.²

Dr. Bors strove to improve his patients’ care during the post-war period when knowledge about spinal cord injury was scarce, and there was little interest in caring for patients considered “hopeless cases”. Working with few resources, Dr. Bors conducted bedside research that formed the knowledge base for treating the secondary medical complications that had such devastating consequences for paralyzed veterans and their families.

Focusing on the neurogenic bladder, in 1971, he and fellow pioneer Estin Comarr, MD,³ published the first textbook on neuro-urology, a reference that remains widely respected.⁴ More than 50 years later, spinal cord research ranks among the most exciting fields in the world, and young investigators training in diverse disciplines, are building on the foundation established by pioneers like Drs. Comarr and Bors.

This year, applications from primary authors of research articles published in the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine in 2021 were evaluated by judges drawn from the Editorial Board. Each article was scored for novelty, appropriateness of methodology and techniques, clarity of presentation, and the importance of the study findings to individuals living with spinal cord injury/dysfunction. Each candidate’s role in their research study was carefully considered, as well as their commitment to a career relevant to advancing spinal cord injury care and research.

This year’s winner is Nathan Hogaboom, PhD, primary author of the article titled, “A pilot study to evaluate micro-fragmented adipose tissue injection under ultrasound guidance for the treatment of refractory rotator cuff disease in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury.”⁵ The article, published online on April 8, 2021, achieved JSCM’s top Altmetric score for 2021, an indication of substantial media interest. The co-authors are Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD, Gerard Malanga, MD, and Chris Cherian, MD.

“I am honored to join the ranks of Bors Awardees,” said Dr. Hogaboom, “and encouraged by the high level of interest in our regenerative rehabilitation research. Applying this novel approach to debilitating shoulder pain in wheelchair users is a promising alternative to surgery and its prolonged recovery period. Minimizing pain and restoring shoulder function enables individuals with spinal cord injury to engage in work and leisure activities that can improve their quality of life.” Dr. Hogaboom’s research was conducted during his tenure as the inaugural Derfner Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Regenerative Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation.

Dr. Hogaboom is currently a research scientist in the Center for Spinal Cord Injury Research at Kessler Foundation, where he also co-directs the Derfner-Lieberman Laboratory for Regenerative Rehabilitation Research with Dr. Dyson-Hudson. Dr. Hogaboom is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine. an early career officer of the American Congress of Rehabilitative Medicine’s Spinal Cord Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group, and a research assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Hogaboom will present his award-winning research at the Academy’s annual conference in September 2022, where he will be honored as the Journal’s newest Bors Awardee.

Primary authors of research articles are encouraged to contact the assistant editor for an application following notification of acceptance for publication in the Journal. For manuscripts accepted during 2022, the deadline for applications is January 17, 2023.