2026 ISNR Meeting Schedule
The ISNR Program is excited to feature dynamic speakers in the field of spinal cord injury and rehabilitation.
We believe you will come away with new knowledge, moving questions to motivate research and practice, as well as being refreshed in spirit from the spectacular location and time with colleagues/friends and family!
2026 Conference Schedule
SUNDAY, JULY 19
Mid-Day Arrivals from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)
5:30pm-6:30pm – Welcome Reception
6:30pm-7:30pm – Dinner (Provided)
7:30pm-8:30pm – Opening Keynote Session
Neural Control of Locomotion After SCI: Lessons from Turtles to Humans
Dr. Edelle Field-Fote, PT, PhD, FAPTA, FASIA
Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA and Professor, Emory University
Introductions: Ona Bloom, PhD | ISNR Conference Chair
MONDAY, JULY 20
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast Provided
8:45am-9:00am – Welcome to ISNR and Schedule Overview Ona Bloom, PhD
9:00am-10:10am – Immune Changes after CNS and PNS Injury
Veronica Tom, PhD
Dylan McCreedy, PhD
Ashley Kalinski, PhD
10:10am-10:40am – Break
10:40am-11:40am – Featured Speaker
Phil Horner, PhD
Director, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist
11:40am-12:40pm – Lunch (Provided)
12:40pm-1:50pm – Axon Regeneration and Plasticity
Rosalind Segal, MD, PhD
Katheryn Moss, PhD
Alexandra Byrne, PhD
1:50pm-2:05pm – Break
2:05pm-3:00pm – Featured Speaker
Victoria Abraira, PhD
Associate Professor, Rutgers University
3:00pm-4:00pm – Trainee Networking
3:00pm-6:30pm - Free Time
6:30pm-7:30pm – Dinner (Provided)
7:30pm-8:30pm – Young Investigator & Trainee Data Blitz
8:30pm-9:30pm –Trainee Poster Session 1
TUESDAY, JULY 21
8:00am-9:00am – Breakfast Provided
9:00am-10:10am – Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroplasticity
Murray Blackmore, PhD
Suzanne Tharin, MD, PhD
Mayssa Mokalled, PhD
10:10am-10:40am – Break
10:40am-11:40am – Featured Speaker
Rethinking Intrinsic and Extrinsic Determinants of Endogenous Repair in SCI
Binhai Zheng, PhD
University of California at San Diego, CA
11:40am-12:40pm – Lunch (Provided)
12:40pm-1:50pm – Pain and Sensory Biology
William Renthal, MD, PhD
Sampurna Chakrabarti, PhD
Mariajose Metcalfe, PhD
1:50pm-2:05pm – Break
2:05pm-3:00pm– Featured Speaker
Barry Munro, BA, LLB
The North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium (NASCIC)
3:00pm-6:30pm – Free Time
6:30pm-7:30pm – Dinner (Provided)
7:30pm-8:30pm – Young Investigator & Trainee Data Blitz
8:30pm-9:30pm – Trainee Poster Session 2
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast Provided
8:30am-9:15am – Partner & Sponsor Recognition
9:15am-10:45am – Whole Body Impacts of SCI: Blood Pressure, Bowel, & Bladder
Sabhya Rana, PhD
Kristine Cowley, PhD
Rahul Sachdeva, PhD
Dennis Bourbeau, PhD
10:45am-11:00am- Break
11:00am-11:50am – Neurovascular Crosstalk in Peripheral Nerve Repair and Degeneration
Dario Bonanomi, PhD
San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy
11:50am-12:50pm – Lunch (Provided)
12:50pm-2:10pm – Advances in Neuromodulation
Elvira Pirodoni, PhD
D. Leonardo Garcia-Ramírez, PhD
Keith Fenrich, PhD
2:10pm-2:25pm – Break
2:25pm-3:25pm - Trainee Networking / Plex Panel
2:25pm-6:00pm – Free Time
6:00pm-7:30pm – Closing Keynote Session
Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Rehabilitation to Promote Recovery in Chronic SCI
Robert L. Rennaker II, PhD and Seth Hays, PhD
University of Texas at Dallas, Texas
7:30pm-8:30pm – Dinner & Trainee Poster Award Presentations
Meeting Adjorned
THURSDAY, JULY 23
AM Departure for Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)
Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by 1R13NS151464-01 from NINDS. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of NIH; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.