When I was first injured, stem cell therapy was the topic of research that plagued the online support groups. Every week it seemed like someone in the Spinal Cord Injury Facebook forums posted their GoFundMe to raise money to fly to Panama to receive this treatment, or a new article promised that stem cells were about to restore function. Believe me, I am not knocking the grind, just simply recounting trends. Early studies using embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells showed potential for regenerating damaged tissue, but human trials have been slow and complex due to ethical and medical concerns (Tetzlaff et al., 2011).
A few years later, it was viral mouse studies that captured attention. Research demonstrated that specific gene therapies and viral vectors could stimulate axonal regrowth in mice, offering tantalizing hope for translation to humans (Liu et al., 2010). But as researchers caution, what works in rodents may take decades to adapt for human trials.
Then came brain-computer interfaces. These technologies allow individuals with paralysis to control robotic limbs or computer cursors directly with their thoughts. Landmark research at Stanford showed that participants with spinal cord injuries could type on a computer at practical speeds using implanted brain electrodes (Pandarinath et al., 2017). While revolutionary, such technology is still in the early stages of development and primarily limited to research settings.
More recently, pharmaceutical approaches like NerveGen’s NVG-291 have made headlines. This experimental drug targets proteins that inhibit nerve regeneration, with early human trials underway in Canada (NerveGen, 2022). There is cautious optimism, but it remains to be seen how effective this treatment will be in restoring meaningful function.
And now, there is growing buzz around a clinical trial in Israel, where researchers are testing a 3D-printed spinal cord implant made from patient-derived cells. Early animal models demonstrated regained walking ability, and the treatment has moved into pre-clinical phases for humans (Wertheim et al., 2022; Tel Aviv University, 2025). It is a great example of how regenerative medicine continues to evolve.
The truth is, there will always be promising research. Medicine is advancing every day, and that’s something to be grateful for. But what we don’t always talk about is how long these breakthroughs take and how difficult it can be to balance hope and realism. Moving from mouse studies to human applications can take decades, and not every promising treatment makes it through the rigorous phases of clinical testing.
I’ve personally noticed that people tend to respond to breakthroughs and news in two extremes. Some cling so tightly to every new study that it consumes them. Others abandon hope altogether, believing nothing will ever change. I’ve come to learn that both extremes can be unhealthy.
For me, what works is existing in the middle ground: staying optimistic about science and medicine while also being realistic about the timeline. What’s kept me grounded is focusing on my own health and recovery in the present, so that if and when these treatments do become available, I’ll be in the best position possible to benefit. Maintaining our health after a spinal cord injury is about living well today AND about being ready for tomorrow’s opportunities.
I don’t believe hope should ever be abandoned, but it should be balanced with practicality. Blind optimism can lead to disappointment, while complete pessimism can close you off to possibilities. For me, it’s that balance that has carried me forward: believing in science, but also making peace with the life I live now.
While research may someday offer a cure, life isn’t waiting. I try to live up to this blog name by recognizing that “life keeps rolling”—I can either push with it or against it.
AI Is Getting Good: How to Spot Fake or Misleading “Cure” Articles
In the age of AI and clickbait, it’s harder than ever to separate hype from credible science. I have noticed a massive influx of fake articles and studies being shared in the online SCI group Facebook pages, with blatantly obvious ChatGPT graphics or entirely hallucinated copy. It reeks of “dead internet theory” where people are using AI to fact check AI created content. Just an echo chamber of AI communicating with itself, with hopeful individuals mindlessly sharing, or skeptical individuals mindlessly arguing. It’s a highly concerning trend to witness. Here are a few quick tips I share with peers:
- Check the source: Reputable medical journals, universities, or hospitals are far more reliable than random blogs or websites, especially if those sites are displaying advertisements.
- Look for human trials: If the study only involves mice or rats, it is likely still years away from potential human use.
- Watch for exaggerated language: Words like “miracle,” “overnight cure,” or “guaranteed” are red flags.
- Verify with multiple outlets: If only one obscure site is reporting it, the chances are higher it’s misleading.
- Check the timeline: Real clinical trials are registered on platforms like ClinicalTrials.gov. If there’s no listing, it may not exist.
References
Liu, K., Lu, Y., Lee, J. K., Samara, R., Willenberg, R., Sears-Kraxberger, I., He, Z. (2010). PTEN deletion enhances the regenerative ability of adult corticospinal neurons. Nature Neuroscience, 13(9), 1075–1081. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2603
NerveGen. (2022). NerveGen announces initiation of Phase 1 clinical trial of NVG-291. NerveGen Pharma Corp.https://www.nervegen.com/news/nervegen-announces-initiation-of-phase-1-clinical-trial-of-nvg-291
Pandarinath, C., Nuyujukian, P., Blabe, C. H., Sorice, B. L., Saab, J., Willett, F. R., Shenoy, K. V. (2017). High performance communication by people with paralysis using an intracortical brain-computer interface. eLife, 6, e18554. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18554
Tel Aviv University. (2025, August 19). Israeli Breakthrough: First Human Trial of Engineered Spinal Cord. Tel Aviv University. https://english.tau.ac.il/research/engineered-spinal-cord
Tetzlaff, W., Okon, E. B., Karimi-Abdolrezaee, S., Hill, C. E., Sparling, J. S., Plemel, J. R., Kwon, B. K. (2011). A systematic review of cellular transplantation therapies for spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurotrauma, 28(8), 1611–1682. https://doi.org/10.1089/neu.2009.1177
Wertheim, L., Edri, R., Goldshmit, Y., Kagan, T., Noor, N., Ruban, A., Shapira, A., Gat-Viks, I., Assaf, Y., Dvir, T. (2022). Regenerating the Injured Spinal Cord at the Chronic Phase by Engineered iPSCs-Derived 3D Neuronal Networks. Adv. Sci. 9, 2105694. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202105694
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