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Welcome to the Spinal Cord Injury Imaging Research Laboratory (SCIRL)

 

Our research focuses on the prognosis and treatment of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). We conduct clinical research in a variety of different ways, with a focus on spinal cord imaging. We value local, national, and international collaborations to study important clinical questions in the field of SCI. Ultimately, our lab aims to improve the lives and wellbeing of people with SCI.

Andrew Smith HeadshotAndrew C. Smith, PT, DPT, PhD
Principal Investigator and SCIRL Director

Dr. Andrew C. Smith is a rehabilitation scientist whose primary interest is improving the assessment and clinical management of individuals with spinal cord injury. Dr. Smith’s secondary interest is in the quantification and characterization of skeletal muscle in health and disease states. Current research activities include: using medical imaging to to investigate the extent of spinal cord injury and its impact on motor and sensory function, using magnetic resonance imaging to improve the mechanistic understanding of responsiveness to spinal cord stimulation in individuals with spinal cord injury, and convolutional neural networks to automate segmentation processes of neuromusculoskeletal imaging.

Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus

Email: Andrew.C2.Smith@CUAnschutz.edu

Links to complete bibliography of published work: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3CRNA2kAAAAJ&hl=en https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1l581LQVlowkn/bibliography/public/

Education: 
BA, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 
DPT, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 
PhD, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL


Wesley ThorntonWesley Thornton, PT, DPT, NCS

Dr. Wes Thornton is a PhD student with a research interest in neurological disorders including spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. He graduated with honors from Regis University’s DPT program in 2014, and received the Regis DPT Young Alumnus Award in 2017. In 2014, Wesley was a recipient of the APTA’s Minority Scholarship Award. Wes has presented multiple lectures and in-services both locally and nationally on the care of patients with spinal cord and/or traumatic brain injuries for practitioners in inpatient rehabilitation settings. Wesley is a practicing physical therapist at Craig Hospital, and a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals.


Contact Us

SCIRL
13121 East 17th Avenue, 3106
Aurora, CO 80045
Andrew.C2.Smith@CUAnschutz.edu