"Eric continues to be in critical condition, but he was alert and communicating for long periods of time from Sunday until he underwent a partial autograft on Wednesday to replace an earlier allograft. Eric is sedated during these early days of recovery from this latest procedure.
"While awake, Eric was not able to vocalize because of a breathing tube, but he could write messages and he still has his sense of humor. He passed a swallowing test, the first step toward eating solid food. He needed help to sit up but was independently able to maintain a sitting position for a couple of minutes.
"Eric sends his thanks and appreciation for everyone's support at this challenging time. He is eager to return home but will first have to undergo at least one more autograft procedure and rehabilitation."
NOTE:
Nobel laureate Eric Cornell is a senior scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and adjoint professor of physics at the University of Colorado at Â鶹¹ÙÍø.
Cornell and Carl Wieman, distinguished professor of physics at CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø, led a team of physicists that created the world's first Bose-Einstein condensate in 1995. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 2001 for their creation of the new form of matter.