Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one of the most devastating medical conditions, with no definitive cure to alleviate its lifelong consequences. For many patients, a split-second accident leads to permanent paralysis and a lifetime of physical limitation, medical dependence and emotional struggle.
In 2019, Grégoire Courtine received a Rolex Award for his idea to create a spinal implant that could connect to the wearer’s brain via a “Digital Bridge”. This technology enabled an individual with chronic tetraplegia to stand and walk naturally for the first time.
The breakthrough has placed neuroscience pioneers Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch at the centre of global attention as they continue their mission to transform the lives of people living with paralysis. Courtine even received a Rolex Award for his idea.
The Laureate of Precision
Courtine, the sole Laureate of the Rolex Awards in neuroscience, has dedicated more than two decades to understanding and repairing the injured spinal cord. Recognised for his unwavering perseverance in groundbreaking science, he and Bloch have advanced therapies once thought impossible.
In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Courtine reflected on his journey: “My commitment to SCI patients began when I was 27. I realised that after an accident lasting just a few seconds, you may never walk again. That moment shaped my life’s work.”
Bloch added: “Every innovation is a step forward. The goal is to restore natural movement and independence for patients who have lost so much.”
From Laboratory to Human Application
The digital bridge builds on earlier research into Epidural Electrical Stimulation (EES) — an implant that delivers electrical pulses to the spinal cord below the site of injury, stimulating dormant neural circuits.
Courtine and his research team first tested the therapy in animal models in 2012. In one landmark experiment, they enabled a paralysed rat to walk voluntarily by combining drug therapy, targeted electrical stimulation of the lower spinal cord, robotic-assisted support and even a small chocolate reward as motivation.
Bloch later took the decisive step of transferring the technology from the laboratory to clinical use.
“It took us four years to achieve the first therapy in a patient,” she explained. “There was no precedent, no existing technology to follow. Every stage presented new challenges.”
In 2017, Bloch implanted the technology in a Dutch patient, Gert-Jan Oskam, who had been paralysed in a cycling accident in 2011. Initially fitted with EES alone, Oskam regained partial movement. The next leap came with the introduction of the “Digital Bridge” — two implants, one in the brain region controlling leg movement and the other in the spinal cord, linked through artificial intelligence.
The system detects brain signals when a patient intends to move, translating them into spinal stimulation that triggers natural motion.
“He has made extraordinary progress,” Bloch noted. “The brain-spine interface has given him greater independence, and today we have three other patients working on walking, and two focused on upper limb movement.”
Building Momentum and Overcoming Barriers
The journey from a laboratory concept to human therapy has required collaboration, resilience and substantial resources. Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch partnered with Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology, and later co-founded NeuroRestore, a Swiss research and innovation centre.
Even with these milestones, significant obstacles remain.
“We face regulatory scrutiny, ethical considerations and the need to convince stakeholders,” Courtine said. “Another key challenge is finding patients willing to participate and building teams that share our vision.”
The Rolex Award, he added, has been pivotal: “It confirmed that our work aligns with precision — Swiss precision and high technology. The visibility helps attract support and inspires new collaborations.”
Beyond Walking: Expanding Possibilities
The potential of the “Digital Bridge” extends far beyond walking. Current trials are exploring its use in regulating blood pressure, a critical issue for tetraplegic patients vulnerable to hypotension and fainting.
“We have 16 participants implanted so far, including 11 in blood pressure regulation studies,” Bloch said.
The research also shows promise for patients with Parkinson’s disease, with four individuals implanted to improve their stability and mobility. Among them is 62-year-old Frenchman Marc Gautier, whose Parkinson’s disease had prevented him from walking. Through targeted epidural stimulation of the spinal cord, his motor function and balance have improved significantly.
Bloch and Courtine were able to correct movement problems associated with the condition — including gait disturbances, balance issues and freezing episodes while walking. Gautier, from Bordeaux, can now climb stairs, use a lift, stand up unaided and walk independently in a shop after living with Parkinson’s for 30 years. Bloch and Courtine launched a start-up company called ONWARD, dedicated to making this therapy widely accessible for treating mobility problems in people with Parkinson’s.
“We are beginning to apply the concept to upper limbs, hands and bladder control — functions vital for daily independence,” Bloch added.
The Human Dimension
Behind the science lies a deeply human motivation. SCI patients often endure more than physical loss — facing diminished quality of life, financial hardship and long-term dependence on medical care.
“A spinal cord injury leads to greater health loss, more limitations and higher medical costs,” Courtine explained. “It impacts the ability to work and to live fully.”
For patients such as Oskam, every regained movement symbolises freedom.
“Having the possibility to change this paradigm was very exciting,” Bloch said. “Every step shows us it is possible to transform failure into success.”
Looking Ahead
The technology has not yet been commercialised, and continued financial support remains essential to scale access globally.
“That is our goal,” Courtine stressed. “To make sure dozens, and eventually thousands, of people can benefit.”
The work continues with renewed urgency. Oskam was scheduled to undergo further surgery last month to test an updated version of the technology.
“We are halfway,” Bloch reflected. “But each step forward confirms the path.”
Rolex, for more than four decades through the Rolex Awards, has supported exceptional individuals who have the courage and conviction to take on major challenges and initiate extraordinary projects that make the world a better place.
The support given to 160 Rolex Award winners since 1976 has had a catalytic impact and in many cases transformed lives and communities. It has also stimulated new ways of thinking about common problems in areas as diverse as creating technologies that improve lives, saving endangered ecosystems, protecting the oceans, exploring new frontiers on the planet, or pioneering advances in science and health.
For Courtine and Bloch, this support fuels their determination to transform lives. Their neuroscience discovery is opening new pathways and encouraging a shift in spinal cord injury treatment — from focusing solely on surgical interventions to integrating neuroscience-based approaches that harness the brain’s innate capacity to modulate pain.
There is a growing emphasis on therapies that activate the brain’s intrinsic pain-regulating mechanisms. Approaches such as brain stimulation, cognitive behavioural therapy and other neuromodulatory techniques are increasingly integrated into treatment plans worldwide to deliver comprehensive pain management and improve patient outcomes.
“Science takes time, but progress is inevitable,” Courtine concluded. “With collaboration and perseverance, we are building bridges — digital bridges — to restore dignity and independence to people living with paralysis.”