In this powerful episode of Research Renaissance, Arushi Raina and John Chernesky from the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute pull back the curtain on what it really takes to innovate in spinal cord injury—and why the future of neurological care depends on integrating technology, science, and most importantly, lived experience.

Rather than treating individuals as patients or passive recipients of care, Praxis centers their entire innovation pipeline around those living with spinal cord injury (SCI), involving them from ideation through market launch. Arushi shares how shifting from product “for” to product “with” the SCI community has accelerated meaningful breakthroughs. John explains why he refuses the label “patient” and instead champions the term Plex – Persons with Lived Experience, a philosophy now driving clinical research, product development, and even investment strategies.

From cutting-edge neuromodulation to low-cost wound gels saving lives, this conversation explores how innovation scales not by solving one condition in isolation—but by designing for complexity, translating solutions across adjacent neurological and aging populations, and creating sustainable pathways to market.

Key highlights include:

♿ Why integrating lived experience from day one leads to better innovation—and better outcomes

🔄 How a “test bed” approach in SCI is accelerating breakthroughs for MS, stroke, Parkinson’s, aging and more

⚙️ The surprising power of simple, scalable technologies—like a gel applied at the first sign of a pressure sore

🧩 Why coachability in entrepreneurs may matter more than capital in medtech success

🧠 Neuromodulation reversing effects of paralysis—and improving autonomic functions like temperature, bowel, and bladder control

💬 How real-time, direct feedback from SCI users saved startups from costly mistakes

📈 Why Praxis built a fund model that generates investor returns and channels profits back into the charity

❤️ What it means to rethink innovation around dignity, identity, and human mobility—not just mobility of limbs

Most profound takeaway

“If technology can be used not only to make it acceptable, but to celebrate the different ways people walk and move through the world, that’s where innovation meets humanity.” — Arushi Raina

Resources & Links

🌐 Praxis Spinal Cord Institute: PracticeInstitute.org
🔗 Connect with Arushi & John on LinkedIn
📧 General contact: info@practiceinstitute.org
💡 Learn more about the Karen Toffler Charitable Trust: tofflertrust.org

Connect with Research Renaissance

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To learn more about the breakthroughs discussed in this episode and to support ongoing research, visit our website at tofflertrust.org.

Technical Podcast Support by Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

In this episode of Research Renaissance, host Deborah Westphal sits down with Dr. Wendy Ellis, Assistant Professor of Global Health at George Washington University and Founding Director of the Center for Community Resilience. Together, they explore how resilience science and systems-level thinking can drive lasting change for communities impacted by adversity.

Dr. Ellis shares her groundbreaking Pair of ACEs Framework, which connects adverse childhood experiences to adverse community environments, and discusses how this approach is helping policymakers, educators, and community leaders address root causes rather than symptoms. From innovative school-based partnerships in Portland to the development of an Opportunity Dashboard that measures both social and economic return on community investments, this conversation reveals how data, collaboration, and hope can transform entire neighborhoods.

Whether you're a researcher, policymaker, or community advocate, this episode will inspire you to think bigger about what it means to build truly resilient communities.

🎙 What you’ll learn in this episode:
• Why resilience science must go beyond individuals and address systems.
• The power of the Pair of ACEs Framework in reframing public health and policy.
• How community-driven solutions have produced measurable results in education, healthcare, and economic stability.
• Why connecting health data with economic outcomes can shift investment and policy decisions.
• The role of hope, social cohesion, and collaboration in driving lasting change.

Subscribe to Research Renaissance and join us in exploring the science, policy, and community action shaping the future of brain health and resilience. Visit tofflertrust.org for resources and updates.

#ResilienceScience #PublicHealth #PairOfACEs #CommunityResilience #SystemsThinking #SocialImpact #AdverseChildhoodExperiences #HealthEquity #BrainHealth #TraumaInformed #PolicyChange #CommunityHealth #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth #CollaborativeLeadership #EconomicMobility #EducationEquity #HealthcareInnovation #DataDrivenPolicy #CommunityDevelopment

To learn more about the breakthroughs discussed in this episode and to support ongoing research, visit our website at tofflertrust.org.

Technical Podcast Support by Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

Welcome back to Research Renaissance, presented by the Karen Toffler Charitable Trust. In this episode, host Deborah Westphal explores the cutting edge of rare disease research with special guests Andrew Rosen, CEO of the National Ataxia Foundation (NAF), and Dr. Lauren Moore, NAF’s Chief Scientific Officer.

Together, they unpack how the NAF has evolved from a small support-focused nonprofit into a strategic, science-driven organization that’s advancing treatments and reshaping what’s possible for people living with ataxia—a rare, progressive neurological condition affecting movement and coordination.

🔍 In this episode, we explore:

• The history and mission of the National Ataxia Foundation—from its 1957 founding to its current research initiatives
• What ataxia is, how it’s diagnosed, and why it’s so often misunderstood or misdiagnosed
• The diagnostic odyssey patients face and how genetic testing is both essential and still evolving
• How patient advocacy, family involvement, and rare-disease communities are accelerating the pace of scientific discovery
• Lauren’s personal journey from biomedical physics student to ataxia researcher—sparked by her father’s diagnosis
• Why wearable tech, remote trials, and AI are changing the game for neurological research
• The power of public-private partnerships and how the first FDA-approved ataxia treatment led to a $7.3B acquisition by Biogen
• Why “rare” doesn’t mean small—and why rare diseases deserve different standards of study, funding, and approval
  
  

🧠 Key Takeaway:

Treatments are on the horizon—but getting there takes relentless advocacy, strategic funding, and courageous participation from patients and families. As Andrew puts it: “We’d love to put ourselves out of business someday. Until then, we’re here to build the infrastructure that gets us there.”

🌐 Resources & Links:

• National Ataxia Foundation (NAF)
• Karen Toffler Charitable Trust
• Learn more about hereditary ataxias and ongoing research initiatives
• Support or participate in patient-driven research and advocacy

🎧 Subscribe to Research Renaissance
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms. For more conversations at the intersection of neuroscience, technology, and purpose-driven science, follow us at tofflertrust.org or get in touch.

To learn more about the breakthroughs discussed in this episode and to support ongoing research, visit our website at tofflertrust.org.

Technical Podcast Support by Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.