Darrell Gwynn Foundation

FAST TRACK LABORATORY


Darrell Gwynn Foundation’s Fast Track Laboratory
In 2004 the Darrell Gwynn Foundation aligned with The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis to fund research targeted towards Neuroprotection by forming the Darrell Gwynn Foundation’s Fast Track Laboratory for Neuroprotection Studies.
What is neuroprotection? In the hours and days after a spinal cord injury (SCI), nerve cells that survive the initial injury are at great risk from damage due to inflammation that occurs at the site of the injury. Researchers are looking at ways to minimize this inflammatory process. Treatment modalities such as hypothermia (cooling) have been shown to minimize inflammation. In addition, neuroprotective agents such as IL-10 and others can inhibit the inflammatory cascade, resulting in less tissue damage.

After extensively reviewing the many types of research available, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, decided that neuroprotection, and the various aspects, such as hypothermia, neuroprotective agencies and others played a very important part in possibly having the ability to someday offer definitive ‘treatment’ at the scene of an accident to a patient with a suspected spinal cord injury.

Currently, there is no “standard of care” that is universally accepted nor proven to be 100% beneficial for management of patients with a suspected SCI. Methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid, has been used over the past decades, but has faced controversy due to the lack of clear results.

The Darrell Gwynn Foundation is proud to support Miami Project’s hope that as these neuroprotective treatment modalities are perfected, they can ultimately become the “standard of care” and be administered promptly following a suspected SCI. This treatment could minimize damage that may have occurred, resulting in preservation of function. Even more exciting is the possibility that these agents could potentially prevent paralysis from occurring all together.

The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

The Miami Project Fertility Program.