Alyssa Mickle, BREATHE T32 alum and member of Dr. Erica Dale’s Lab, has been awarded a Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to support her research on improving breathing after spinal cord injury.
The Dale Lab has shown in animal models that electrical stimulation to the spinal cord after spinal cord injury can help restart diaphragm movement that persists even after the stimulation ends. With this grant, Alyssa will explore why this happens, looking at how the spinal cord responds to stimulation and how to make the effects last longer. The goal is to move this approach closer to becoming a real treatment to improve breathing in people with spinal cord injuries.
Reflecting on this milestone, Alyssa said, “I’m so thankful for the support of the BREATHE Center and its members in making this grant a reality, especially the T32 program for supporting my early graduate training and the collection of preliminary data.”
Dr. Dale also celebrated Alyssa’s achievement: “We are all very proud of the work Alyssa has done and the great ideas she put to paper. She absolutely deserves this F31 award, and it will be instrumental in her training!”
Congratulations, Alyssa!