Conferences

Scientific Conferences

The SCIRF Board of Directors hosts periodic Scientific Conferences to showcase funded research. The Scientific Conferences have included guest speakers on a variety of SCI research topics.

1st Scientific Conference - May 13, 2005

The first scientific conference was held at the Storm Eye Institute of the Medical University of South Carolina and was attended by over 100 scientists and clinicians from throughout South Carolina. There were three nationally known keynote speakers and 10 presentations by SCIRF funded project investigators. Mr. James Shepherd, Jr., chairman of the Board of Directors of the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA described how his own SCI led to the development of the Shepherd Center. Dr. Barth Green of the Miami project discussed the history and current status of research to enhance function after SCI. Dr. Scott Whittemore, Director of the Kentucky SCI Research Center at the University of Louisville highlighted the status of his research on restoring function after SCI. The agenda is included in the 2004/2005 Annual Report which can be found under Annual Reports.

2nd Scientific Conference - May 30, 2008

The second scientific conference was held at the Storm Eye Institute of the Medical University of South Carolina and was attended by over 60 physicians, researchers, and advocates from across South Carolina. The keynote speaker was Dr. Edward Hall from the University of Kentucky. Other presenters included SCIRF scientific directors and former grantees.
The summary is included in the 2007 to 2009 Biennial Report which can be found under Annual Reports.

3rd Scientific Conference - July 8, 2010

The third scientific conference was held at the Storm Eye Institute of the Medical University of South Carolina with invited guest speaker, Dr. Allan D. Levi from the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

4th Scientific Conference – March 22, 2013

The fourth scientific conference was held at the Bioengineering Building auditorium at the Medical University of South Carolina. The agenda included updates from SCIRF grant recipients as well as other researchers. Topics discussed included health outcomes, telomere, estrogen receptors, muscle atrophy, and locomotor function. The keynote speaker was Jeffrey T. Tubbs, MD, from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Virginia Commonwealth University. On July 1, 2013 he joined Roper Rehabilitation Hospital as Medical Director of the Center of Spinal Cord Injury.

5th Scientific Conference – March 10, 2017

The fifth Scientific Conference was held at the Bioengineering Building auditorium at the Medical University of South Carolina. The agenda included updates from SCIRF grant recipients as well as two keynote presentations from leading SCI researchers Dr. Leslie Morse and Dr. James Geddes.

6th Scientific Conference - November 3, 2023

The sixth Scientific Conference was held at the Basic Sciences Building at the Medical University of South Carolina.  The 2023 Scientific Conference Agenda included updates from SCIRF past and current grantees and how they have acquired extramural funding after their SCIRF grants.  We also had three keynote speakers on a variety of SCI research topics.

Consumer Conferences

The SCIRF maintains an ongoing relationship with the South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association (SCIA) in order to reach those with spinal cord injury living in South Carolina. The SCIA maintains a very informative website that includes resource information and methods to participate in SCIRF research studies. The SCIA has held several consumer educational conferences and education workshops over the years with support from the SCIRF.

1st Consumer Conference - May 1, 2003

The first statewide conference “Taking Charge of Your Life” was held, with SCIRF support (Grant #1202), at the Sheridan Convention Center in Columbia, SC. There were 160 participants with 15 exhibitors and representatives from agencies and providers of SCI services. Details are included in the 2004/2005 Annual Report which can be found under Annual Reports.

Statewide Continuing Education Workshops - 2004

The “SCI Healthy Habits Workshop” was held, with SCIRF support (Grant #0103), between February and May of 2004 in Columbia, North Charleston, Florence, and Greenville. A part-time nurse educator organized and developed the curriculum and conducted the workshops for over 160 people.

2nd Consumer Conference - May 12, 2005

The second statewide conference “Experience the Power: Living Well after Spinal Cord Injury” was held, with SCIRF support (Grant #0204), at the Columbia Hotel and Conference Center in Columbia, SC. There were 279 registrants with 29 vendors and exhibitors. Multiple presentations included:

• Optimism in SCI Research: Progress of New Treatments
• Nuts and Bolts of Wheelchair Selection and Seating
• Getting What You Need Through Effective Advocacy
• News You Can Use: Update on Preventive Medical and Management of Common Complications After SCI
• Ask the Experts Panel Session
• SCIRF Abstract Presentations

Agenda and details are included in the 2004/2005 Annual Report which can be found under Annual Reports.

3rd Consumer Conference - October 15, 2011

The third statewide conference “Wheeling in New Directions” was held, with SCIRF support (Grant #10-002), at Saluda Shoals in Columbia, SC. There were 98 attendees, 27 vendors, nine breakout session, and two general sessions.

4th Consumer Conference - May 10, 2014

The fourth statewide conference “Wheeling in New Directions” was held, with SCIRF support (Grant #12-003), at the Columbia Conference Center in Columbia, SC. There were 103 attendees, 32 exhibitors, 12 breakout sessions, and two general sessions.
Details are included in the 2010/2014 Multi-year Report which can be under Annual Reports.

Provider Conferences

The SCIRF understands that there is a need to increase Health care provider knowledge regarding spinal cord injury management and rehabilitation throughout the state of South Carolina. We encourage proposals for provider conferences in order to accomplish this.

1st Provider Conference – November 3 to 4, 2007

Through a grant from the SCIRF (Grant #0807), Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital, planned and held a provider conference “An Interdisciplinary Approach to SCI Management” in Greenville, SC. The audience included over 125 physicians, case managers, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychologists, recreational therapists, respiratory therapists, speech pathologists, and other Health care professionals concerned with the care and treatment of those with spinal cord injuries.

2nd Provider Conference – April 17 to 18, 2010

Through a grant from the SCIRF (Grant #0903), Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital, planned and held a provider conference “Management of the Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury” at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenville, SC. The audience included over 150 attendees with a substantial portion of nurses. Continuing education units were provided to occupational and physical therapists as well as nurses. Topics on day 1 included a keynote presentation “Exploring Traumatic and Non-Traumatic SCI” from Anthony Chiodo, MD (Director of Adult Spasticity Clinic – University of Michigan Health System), ASIA classification, medical complications, functional outcomes, basic skin, and nutrition, basic bowel, and bladder function, medical, and non-medical comorbidities. Day 2 topics included research updates, respiratory complications, and assessments, sexuality, and SCI, role of speech language pathologist in SCI treatment, management of medical complications, upper extremity function, advance bowel and bladder management, mobility progression, and transfers, advanced respiratory care, basic seating, and positioning, advanced skin and nutrition, treatment in the critical care unit, and service dogs.