We work in collaboration with the MI-SCIMS contributing our expertise and knowledge to their project and activities as well as sharing our resources with the MI-SCIMS team and investigators. Our projects are complementary to work SCIMS is doing currently, offering different perspectives, and expanding on areas of unmet needs for persons with SCI/D.
Collaborations with other SCI researchers inspired new ideas and perspectives to our own work. A visit to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, resulted in exchange of knowledge and long-lasting partnerships in SCI research.
Several of our studies involved also international collaborations as we learned from other countries how they address many health, psychological and social issues related to spinal cord injury.
Partnerships with the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil yielded successful exchanges of knowledge with respect to basic medical care for economic deprived populations, as well as insight on psychological coping and resilience among persons with SCI. Through the Global Reach program at the University of Michigan we were able to foster exchange of information and faculty between Michigan and Brazil. Data collection was achieved using a common basic data set that allow us to compare information. We offered training to our partners.
Researchers in Brazil discuss the International SCI Data Sets with Dr. Professor Fin Biering Sorensen from Denmark, one of the leader in this database development with the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA).
Translating these data sets into Portuguese allow us to compare research findings.
