Jed Shumsky, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor

Behavioral Assessment of Recovery of Function from Spinal Cord Injury

Email, jshumsky@drexelmed.edu

     My research interests forge an integrated linkage between the fields of developmental molecular neurobiology, rehabilitation therapy, and behavioral pharmacology. I serve as the Scientific Director for the Behavioral Core Facility of The Spinal Cord Research Center. My primary research in collaboration with Drs. Marion Murray, Itzhak Fischer, Karen Moxon, Scott Stackhouse, and John Houle is in behavioral assessment of recovery of function from spinal cord injury. We are examining the interaction between pharmacologic stimulation, rehabilitation training, and cellular transplants as combined intervention strategies to improve recovery of function in our rat spinal injury models. My secondary area of research involves a collaboration with Drs. Barry Waterhouse and Brian Clark to study the effects of Ritalin on the neurobiology of sustained attention in rats. Through these studies we are examining cortical mechanisms underlying cognitive enhancement and attentional processing.

Biography 

Swarthmore College, BA Biochemistry, 1986
Havard University, 1987
University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D. Pharmacological Sciences (Neuropsychopharmacology), 1993 

Lab Members 

Elizabeth Dugan         PhD Candidate
2005-present              
Thesis: A combination therapy promotes quipazine induced stepping in adult spinalized rats.

Laura Krisa                 PhD Candidate
2006-present              
Thesis: Amphetamine enhanced motor training improves recovery of forelimb function following cervical contusion injury.

Justin Berkowitz         MMS Candidate
2009-present              
Thesis: Adrenergic involvement in sustained attention.

Selected Publications 

Hayashi, Y.; Jacob-Vadakot, S.; Nothias, J.-M.; McBride, S.; Olexa, R.; Murray, M.; Simansky, K.; Shumsky, J.S. (2010) 5-HT precursor loading enhances motor function after spinal cord contusion in adult rats. Exp Neurol 221:68-78.

Kao, T.; Shumsky, J.S.; Murray, M.; Moxon, K.A. (2009) Exercise induces cortical plasticity after neonatal spinal cord injury in the rat. J Neurosci 29:7549-7557.

Stackhouse, S.K.; Murray, M.; Shumsky, J.S. (2008) The effect of cervical dorsolateral funiculotemy on reach-to-grasp function in the rat. J Neurotrauma 25:1039-1047.

Sandrow, H.; Shumsky, J.S.; Amin, A.; Houle, J.D. (2008) Aspiration of a cervical spinal contusion injury in preparation for delayed peripheral nerve grafting does not impair forelimb behavior or axon regeneration. Exp Neurol 210:489-500. Epub 2007, Dec 15.

Kao, T.; Shumsky, J.S.; Jacob-Vadakot, S.; Himes, B.T.; Murray, M.; Moxon, K.A. (2006) Role of the 5-HT2C receptor for improving weight supported stepping in adult rats spinalized as neonates. Brain Res 1112:159-168.

Shumsky, J.S.; Kao, T.; Amato, N.; Simansky, K.; Murray, M.; Moxon, K.A. (2005) Partial 5-HT1A receptor agonist activity by the 5-HT2C receptor antagonist SB 206,553 is revealed in rats spinalized as neonates. Exp Neurol. 191:361-365.

Nothias J-M, Mitsui T, Shumsky JS, Antoncci MD, Murray M (2005) Combined effects of neurotrophin secreting transplants, exercise and serotonergic drug challenge improve function in spinal rats. Neurorehab. Neural Repair19:296-312.

Schwartz, E.D.; Chin, C.-L.; Shumsky, J.S.; Jawad, A.F.l Brown, B.K.; Wehrli, S.; Tessler, A.; Murray, M.; Hackney, D.B. (2005) Apparent diffusion coefficients in spinal cord transplants and surroundling white matter correlate with degree of axonal dieback after injury in rats. Am. J. Neuroradiol. 26:7-18.

Tobias, C.A.; Han, S.W.; Shumsky, J.S.; Kim, D.; Tumolo, M.; Dhoot, N.O.; Wheatley, M.A.; Fischer, I.; Tessler, A.; Murray, M. (2005) Alginate encapsulated BDNF-producing fibroblast grafts permit recovery of function after spinal cord injury in the absence of immune suppression. J. Neurotrauma 22:138-156.

Schwartz, E.D.; Shumsky, J.S.; Wehrli, S.; Tessler, A.; Murray, M.; Hackney, D.B. (2003) Ex vivo MR determined apparent diffusion coefficients correlate with motor recovery mediated by intraspinal transplants of fibroblasts genetically modified to secrete BDNF. Exp Neurol 182:49-63.

Hayashi, Y.; Jacob, S.; Nothias, J.; Murray, M.; Simansky, K.; Shumsky, J.S. (2003) Distribution of serotonergic fibers, 5-HT transporter, and 5-HT2C receptors in lumbar cord correlates with degree of motor function following various spinal cord injuries. Soc Neurosci Abstr 29

Tobias, C.A.; Shumsky, J.S.; Shibata, M.; Tuszynski, M.H.; Fischer, I.; Tessler, A.; Murray, M. (2003) Delayed grafting of BDNF and NT-3 producing fibroblasts into the injured spinal cord stimulates sprouting, partially rescues axotomized red nucleus neurons from loss and atrophy and provides limited regeneration. Exp. Neurol 184:97-113.

Shumsky, J.S.; Tobias, C.A.; Tumolo, M.; Giszter, S.F.; Murray, M. (2003) Delayed transplantation of fibroblasts genetically modified to secrete BDNF and NT-3 into a spinal cord injury site is associated with limited recovery of function. Exp Neurol 184:114-130.

Shumsky, J.S., Baynard, M.D., Nissanov, J. (2000) Dissociation of vigilance states during performance in a sustained attention procedure. Soc Neurosci Abstr 26:2224.