Improving outcomes for patients worldwide
The Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury advances scientific research that will improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries. This center is focused on the treatment of spinal cord injuries as a systemic disease to reduce the onset or impact of complications associated with spinal cord injury, including diabetes, inflammation or infectious, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and other medical complications.
Spinal cord injury researchers Phillip Popovich, PhD, Dana McTigue, PhD and Sabhya Rana, PhD and Ceren Yarar-Fisher, PhD lead the center, which focuses on novel approaches in medical research, patient care, education and training to redefine spinal cord injury care.
About The Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury does more than just affect patients’ ability to move – it can cause problems for their immune system, meaning simple infections could lead to an earlier death. The Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center seeks to solve that problem through science
Our Leaders
Phillip Popovich, PhD
- Department of Neuroscience
Neuroimmunology, Pathophysiology of spinal cord injury
Research lab
Dana McTigue, PhD
- Department of Neuroscience
Spinal cord injury, metabolic disease, myelination, fatty liver disease
Research lab
Sabhya Rana, PhD
- Department of Neurology
Neurotrauma, Breathing, Neural and Glial Circuits, Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms
Research lab
Ceren Yarar-Fisher, PhD
- Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neuroscience, spinal cord injury, nutrition, rehabilitation and metabolism Research lab
Scientists at the Belford Center
Dr. Jodie Hall, PhD
Department of Neuroscience
Dr. Angela Filous, PhD
Department of Neurology
Dr. Kristina Kigerl, PhD
Department of Neuroscience
Dr. Jia Li, PhD
Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neuroscience
Dr. Ana Dias, PhD
Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury
Christina Lepak, MSc
Department of Neuroscience
Dr. Raquel Minarsch, PT, DPT, NCS, CCRP
Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neuroscience
Dr. Matthew Farrow, PhD
Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neuroscience