The purpose of this contract is for development and implementation of a training program in SCI researchmethodologies that will emphasize hands-on experience, at a site to be designated as a NINDS 'Facility of ResearchExcellence in Spinal Cord Injury (FORE-SCI).' Its purpose is to provide short-term intensive training for researchersnew to SCI research on the best practices in the field, including the standards of current research methodology,analytical procedures and functional outcome evaluations. The FORE-SCI contractor will provide resources,capabilities and experience in SCI research and the ability to work with multiple standard rodent models of injury.The contractor shall provide facilities and personnel for expert handling, care and medical management of animalswith SCI, and FORE-SCI participants will become expert in the ethical conduct of experiments in SCI and associatedanimal care.It is anticipated that the annual training program will yield a well-trained cadre of researchers dedicated to advancingresearch to relieve the burden of SCI. A successful program outcome would be that FORE-SCI participants wouldreturn to their organizations/instututions with the ability to perform rigorous experimental programs of the highestquality, and to disseminate the techniques they have learned to others in their laboratories.
