Plenary #7 - Anthony F. DiMarco Lectureship
Tracks
Plenary Room: F1+F2+F3
| Saturday, October 11, 2025 |
| 10:40 - 11:30 |
| Plenary Room F1+F2+F3 |
Details
Ventilatory dysfunction is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality following cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), with current treatments largely focused on supportive care or compensatory strategies. While the loss of direct bulbospinal drive has long directed attention to phrenic motor neurons (PMNs), recent advances highlight the powerful potential of spinal excitatory interneurons (eINs) as therapeutic conduits for respiratory recovery. These excitatory interneurons, particularly those located in the mid-cervical region, can relay and amplify descending respiratory signals when direct bulbospinal pathways are disrupted. Preclinical studies employing targeted stimulation, cell-specific chemo- and optogenetic activation, and circuit-selective peripheral neuromodulation have demonstrated that engaging spinal interneuronal networks can rapidly reinitiate diaphragm activity and, importantly, promote sustained improvements in spontaneous breathing during the chronic phase of spinal cord injury. These effects are supported by structural and functional plasticity, suggesting that spinal interneurons are not only transient conduits but also capable of mediating durable recovery through reorganization of respiratory circuitry. This emerging knowledge challenges the traditional view that motor neuron pathways must be directly repaired and instead supports a strategy centered on harnessing endogenous plasticity of spinal networks. Collectively, these findings support a paradigm shift toward circuit-level interventions that engage endogenous spinal networks to recover lost function. Targeting spinal interneurons as both functional relays and drivers of neuroplasticity presents a promising strategy to restore volitional breathing and reduce ventilator dependence in individuals with high cervical spinal cord injury. This presentation will synthesize key mechanistic insights and preclinical progress, highlighting cervical interneurons as a pivotal, underutilized target in the pursuit of respiratory recovery.
Presenter (if the session has co-presenters, they will be listed in the APP)
Dr Kajana Satkunendrarajah
Associate Professor
University Of Miami
Breathing New Life into the Injured Spinal Cord: The Role of Spinal Interneurons in Restoring Ventilation
Biography
Dr. Kajana Satkunendrarajah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Miami and a principal investigator at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. She earned her Ph.D. from the School of Medicine at Wayne State University and later completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto in Canada. Dr. Satkunendrarajah's research focuses on understanding the complexities of neural networks that control motor behavior, both in healthy conditions and following spinal cord injuries or other neurological disorders. Her significant contributions include studying cervical excitatory interneurons that exhibit plasticity under respiratory stress and can be genetically modified to restore breathing after cervical spinal cord injury. She also discovered a novel sensory cortical-spinal circuit involved in locomotor control. Her research program aims to enhance our understanding of the neural mechanisms behind breathing and movement while developing innovative therapies to improve motor recovery for individuals with spinal cord injuries. The Kajana Lab uniquely integrates fundamental neuroscience, respiratory and locomotor physiology, and advanced techniques such as viral manipulation, optogenetics, and chemogenetics in transgenic mouse models to manipulate neural circuits at the preclinical level. The ultimate goal of the Kajana Lab is to translate these research findings into effective treatments for individuals with spinal cord injuries.
Moderator
Julian Taylor
Sensorimotor Function Group Lead
Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, SESCAM
