Praxis Conference

BAIL’s Knowledge Translation Specialist, Jo Nunnerley, attended Praxis 2016.  This event, hosted by the Rick Hansen Institute (RHI), assembled leaders and stakeholders in the field of spinal cord injury (SCI) for a landmark conference to develop practical solutions for overcoming challenges to translating research through two translational “Valleys of Death”: from basic research to clinical research (Bench to Bedside) and from initial implementation to dissemination to the entire SCI community (Bedside to Worldwide).

A distinguishing feature of the Praxis conference was active participant engagement. The sessions consisted of short presentations from experts discussing their experience with challenges in translational research followed by group discussions to identify practical solutions based on individual experience and knowledge. The conference encouraged participants to commit to make a change, and implement some of the knowledge translation ideas discussed at the conference.

An Action Committee to lead the work of translating the action ideas from Praxis is being led by Graham Creasey (Stanford School of Medicine) and Catherine Truchon (Institut National d’Excellence en Santé et Services Sociaux), and supported administratively through a secretariat at the Rick Hansen Institute. The Action Committee will serve as a bridge between the work of Praxis 2016 participants and the implementation of change in the SCI research and consumer communities.