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Associate Professor/Vice Chair
Chief, Division of Neurological Spinal Disorders
Director, Spinal Cord Injury and Repair Laboratory

Dr. Nockels is an Associate Professor of  Neurological Surgery at Loyola with a specific interest in Complex Spinal Disorders, Scoliosis, Neurotrauma, and General Neurosurgery. He is Director of a collaborative laboratory examining translational research in the treatment of spinal cord injury. His expertise in complex spinal surgery has led to his directorship of several AANS post-graduate courses. He serves on the Postgraduate Education committee of the AANS, and Executive Committee for the Joint Spine Section of the CNS/AANS. He has served as a grant reviewer for the Paralyzed Veterans of America. His current research interests focus on cell transplantation after spinal cord injury, and molecular insights into CNS dysfunction.

Recent Bibliography

Publications

Asgarzadie R, Pan H, Wurster R, Nockels R. Sciatic nerve stimulation enhances motor recovery in spinal cord injured rats. J Neurotrauma 2003;20(10):1054.

Book Chapters

Nockels RP. Spinal deformity correction. In: Benzel E, editor. Spine surgery: techniques, complication avoidance, and management. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingston; 2004.

Abstracts

Pan HQ, Nockels R, Asgarzadie F, Wurster R. Improvement of functional motor recovery with electrical stimulation of sciatic nerves following spinal cord injury in rats. The Society for Neuroscience 33rd Annual Meeting; 2003 Nov 8-12; New Orleans, Louisiana.

Pannu YS, Shownkeen HN, Nockels R, Anderson D, Origitano TC. Endovascular treatment of wide neck aneurysm using balloon remodeling technique. Presented at the 15^th Annual North American Skull Base Society Meeting; 2004 Feb 14-17; New Orleans, Louisiana.

Zavala G, Nockels R, Pan HQ, Wurster R, Asgarzadie F. Electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve and stem-like cell transplantation with spinal cord injury. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons; 2003 Oct 18-23; Denver, Colorado.

Presentations

Asgarzadie F, Nockels RP, Pan H, Wurster R. Effect of electrical stimulation on behavioral recovery following experimental adult spinal cord injury and stem cell transplantation. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neurotrauma; 2003; Biloxi, Mississippi.

Asgarzadie F, Pan HQ, Nockels R, Wurster R. Functional improvement after spinal cord injury following sciatic nerves stimulation in rats. Presented at the 21^st Annual National Neurotrauma Symposium; 2003 Nov 6-7; Biloxi, Mississippi.

Nockels RP, Asgarzadie F, Pan H, Wurster R: Effect of electrical stimulation on behavioral recovery following experimental adult spinal cord injury and stem cell transplantation. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2003; New Orleans, Louisiana.

Pan HQ, Nockels R, Asgarzadie F, Wurster R. Direct stimulation of sciatic nerves improves functional motor recovery after spinal cord contusion in rats. The 2003 Research Week, Hines VA Hospital, Loyola University (received first place award from VA Research Week); 2003 March; Maywood Illinois.

Pan HQ, Nockels R, Zavala G, Asgarzadie F, Paladin J, Kartje W, Lee J, Magnuson D, Wurster R. Delayed transplantation of neurotrophin-secreting neural stem-like cells improves recovery of motor function and sparing of myelinated white matter tracts following experimental spinal cord injury in adult rats. The Research Day 2004, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Edward Hines VA Hospital; 2004 July 28; Hines, Illinois.

Pan HQ, Nockels R, Zavala G, Asgarzadie F, Paladin J, Kartje W, Lee J, Magnuson D, Wurster R. Effects of delayed transplantation of neurotrophin-secreting stem cells on recovery of motor function and myelinated white matter from spinal cord injury in rats. The Society for Neuroscience 34th Annual Meeting; 2004 Oct 23-37; San Diego, California.

Research Support

Nockels RP (principal Investigator), Maywood, “Electrical stimulation for experimental spinal cord injury and stem cell transplantation” Medtronics Sofamor Danek (2000-2005).

Active Research Protocols

Nockels RP. Analysis of cervical disc replacements (Carbon-fiber wedges, artificial disc).

Nockels RP. Development of an outcome measure to assess hand function in cervical myelopathy (CHOP).

Nockels RP. Dynamic spinal stabilization.

Nockels RP. Evaluation and manipulation of molecular changes after experimental spinal cord injury.

Nockels RP, Jellish S. Excitotoxic changes in the red nucleus after experimental SCI.

Nockels RP. Pharmacologic, neurotrophic and surgical strategies to preserve white matter tracts after spinal cord injury.

Nockels RP. The behavioral effect of HiB5 neural stem-like cell transplantation into the experimentally contused rat spinal cord; LUMC 2000-2003.

Nockels RP. Use of peripheral nerve stimulation to increase behavioral recovery after experimental SCI.

Nockels RP, Starkweather A. Analysis of interleukin levels in serum and lumbar discs as a chemical measure of magnitude of spinal surgery.

Lectures

Nockels RP. Cervical arthroplasty, debating issues in the cervical spine. Loyola University Medical Center; 2003; Maywood, Illinois.

Nockels RP. Non-rigid instrumentation of the lumbar spine. North American Spine Society; 2003; San Diego California.

Nockels RP. Steroid controversies in spinal cord injury. Loyola University Medical Center; 2003; Maywood, Illinois.

Nockels RP. Syringomyelia: the case for shunting. ASIA; 2004; Denver, Colorado.

Postgraduate Courses

Nockels RP. Debating cervical spine issues (course instructor). Loyola University Medical Center; 2003; Maywood, Illinois.

Nockels RP. Minimally invasive lumbar spinal fusion (course director). MERI; 2003; Memphis, Tennessee.

Nockels RP. Minimally invasive spinal surgery techniques (course instructor). Update on Spinal Surgery; 2003; Snowbird Utah.

Nockels RP. Modern management of spinal cord injury, role of closed reduction (course instructor). Congress of Neurological Surgeons; 2003; Denver, Colorado

Nockels RP. Minimally invasive semi-rigid fixation (course instructor). American Association of Neurological Surgeons; 2004.