Congratulations to Dr. Brian Kwon on being appointed the new director of the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) for a five-year term effective July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029.
Dr. Kwon is a professor in UBC’s Department of Orthopaedics, an associate member of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and the School of Biomedical Engineering, and previously served as Associate Director, Clinical Research at ICORD. In addition, he is Director of the UBC Spine Surgery Fellowship, and Director of Research for the Spine Research Program at Vancouver General Hospital, where he also practises as a spine surgeon.
As a surgeon and neuroscientist, Dr. Kwon is internationally recognized in the field of spinal cord injury (SCI) and spine trauma. His research has shed new insights into the management of acute spinal cord injury and established biomarkers of injury severity. He also established and leads the International Spinal Cord Injury Biobank, which supports researchers from around the world to accelerate understanding and treatment of spinal cord injury. He is also the Canada Research Chair in Spinal Cord Injury (Tier 1) and the Dvorak Chair in Spine Trauma.
“ICORD is ideally positioned for collaborative, multidisciplinary research that spans the continuum of scientific discovery to clinical implementation, and will advance patient care and knowledge generation globally,” says Dr. Kwon. “We have a unique opportunity to move all dimensions of the spinal cord injury field forward and have a major impact on the international spinal cord injury community.”
Located within the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, ICORD and its state-of-the-art facilities reside within one of the only buildings in the world dedicated to spinal cord injury research and care. Top experts recruited from across the globe engage in innovative pre-clinical, clinical and lab-based research that is leading to breakthroughs in patient care.
In his role as Director, Dr. Kwon will spearhead ICORD’s efforts to advance research and training initiatives focused on the development and application of strategies and approaches to improve the lives of those who have suffered a spinal cord injury.
“My vision for the coming five years is to establish ICORD as the global leader in spinal cord injury research, innovation and care, leveraging the incredibly committed pool of scientists and clinicians at ICORD and the uniquely vibrant community of key spinal cord injury partnerships within Vancouver.”
Patient-centred research is a core theme
While the urgent need to improve the outcomes and quality of life for those who have suffered an SCI has always been the foundation for research at ICORD, additional steps are underway to further align research activities and knowledge translation to the priorities of people living with SCI. This will include the active engagement of persons with lived experience who will help to orient ICORD’s research mission with the real-life challenges that persons with lived experience face on a daily basis.
“This is an exciting time for our field. We are beginning to witness significant advances in care and treatment outcomes for people with SCI, including the reversal of certain aspects of paralysis,” says Dr. Kwon. “Looking forward, we have a responsibility to ensure that ICORD remains at the forefront of scientific and clinical innovation and knowledge generation to further advance spinal cord research and care.”
