Crossing the Valley of Death in Spinal Cord Injury: Learning from Successful Translators

A straightforward path to successful scientific translation remains uncharted, particularly in a complex progressive condition such as spinal cord injury (SCI), which affects multiple body functions simultaneously. Evolving regulatory requirements add to the complexity and expense of attaining a treatment that is both safe and efficacious. Although rare, there are examples of SCI scientists who have successfully navigated the “valley of death” from discovery science to completed clinical trials. This article reflects the translational journey of five SCI scientists who have encountered similar and different scenarios while striving to launch or complete a clinical trial. Learning from these experiences has identified lessons learned and gaps, particularly with respect to funding and support for SCI translation.