SUMMARY
Nicolas N. Madigan, M.B., B.Ch., Ph.D., is a clinical neurologist and research scientist with expertise in genetic engineering and molecular and cellular biology. Dr. Madigan's research focuses on tissue engineering, stem cell and genome editing technologies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury, and peripheral nerve injury repair. His laboratory work uses biomaterial hydrogels in animal models to understand the mechanisms of spinal cord regeneration. He investigates the effects of autologous stem cell therapeutics in clinical trials for patients with ALS and spinal cord injuries.
Focus areas
- Spinal cord injury repair. Dr. Madigan researches neural tissue engineering by combining biomaterials, delivery of gene-modified cells, and decellularized extracellular matrices for spinal cord injury repair. He is a staff scientist within the Regenerative Neurobiology Laboratory.
- Cellular therapeutics for ALS. Dr. Madigan collaborates with the Translational Neuromuscular Disease Research Laboratory in clinical trials to study autologous mesenchymal stem cells for neural regeneration in patients with motor neuron disease and spinal cord injury. His long-term goal is to develop effective treatments for ALS using gene-modified stem cell therapeutics.
- Peripheral nerve injury repair. Dr. Madigan leads a clinical trial to investigate biomaterial nerve conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration. His work also uses CRISPR gene editing technologies to study mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Significance to patient care
Spinal cord injuries are devastating, affecting more than 296,000 patients in the U.S. Current therapies are limited. One-third of patients have severe, complete injuries and can't get better neurologically. Dr. Madigan's vision is to use biomaterial scaffolds with cellular and molecular factors — a support structure — to regenerate patients' spinal cords and help patients with spinal cord injuries recover.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes selective loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Patient survival for this devastating, incurable disease is 3 to 5 years. There is an urgent need for effective therapy. In clinical trials, Dr. Madigan is using autologous mesenchymal stem cells to treat patients with ALS. He combines genetic engineering technologies with these stem cell therapies to make treatment more effective.
Professional highlights
- Review editor, Frontiers in Neurology — Neuromuscular Disorders and Peripheral Neuropathies, 2022-present.
- Board certification, electrodiagnostic medicine, American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, 2020-present.
- Session chair, American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine annual meetings, 2019-present.
- Associate editor, International Journal of Neuroscience, 2017-present.
- Board certification, neurology and neurology/neuromuscular medicine, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2014-present.
- Board certification, Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, 2010-present.
- Research Award, National Institutes of Health, R01 co-investigator, 2023-2027.
- Basic Neuroscience Research Award, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, 2014.