David S. K. Magnuson

David S. K. Magnuson is the Friends for Michael Endowed Professor at the University of Louisville, holding joint appointments in Neurological Surgery, Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology, and Biomedical Engineering. He leads the Magnuson Lab within the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center (KSCIRC), focusing on spinal circuitry and translational strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI) recovery. His research investigates propriospinal neurons' role in locomotion, activity-based rehabilitation, and bioinformatics-driven SCI analysis.

Research Interests:

• Neuronal circuits controlling locomotion
• Propriospinal neuron plasticity post-SCI
• Activity-based therapies (e.g., treadmill training, cycling)
• Spinal cord injury as a systemic syndrome
• Neurophysiological mechanisms of recovery

Teaching: Teaches neurophysiology to first-year medical students, directs the Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience (IPTN), and oversees graduate neuroscience courses. Lab personnel include Brandon Brown, Mary-Ellen DeHoff, and postdocs at institutions like Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Cleveland FES Center.

Key Publications (2023): Focus on silencing propriospinal neurons to enhance hindlimb stepping post-injury, heterogeneous neuronal plasticity, and bioinformatics databases for SCI research. Collaborations include Drexel University and University College London.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Magnuson Lab, contributing to KSCIRC's multi-disciplinary approach. Ongoing projects include spinal circuit modeling, exercise therapy efficacy, and spasticity management strategies.