Location

555 14th St NW Building (SCC), Room 1253

Joshua Posen

BioE Ph.D. Proposal Presentation

11:00 AM on Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Location:  555 14th St NW Building (SCC), Room 1253

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/98870936280?pwd=dH5RwaYSqkJzIbOzCTrwjFLZOxRXr2.1

 

Advisor: Minoru Shinohara, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)

 

Committee:

Jun Ueda, Ph.D. (co-advisor)  (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Gregory Sawicki, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Lewis Wheaton, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Andrew Butler, Ph.D. ( University of Alabama at Birmingham)

 

      Development of Multi-modal Neuromodulation Techniques to Enhance Upper Limb Function Following Stroke and Healthy Aging

 

While upper limb rehabilitation after stroke is a prominent research area, clinical outcomes vary due to uniqueness of each stroke and limitations of current therapies. Adjacently, all humans encounter degradation of hand function during the natural aging process. Despite their differences, both stroke and aging rehabilitation techniques share common grounds, leveraging brain plasticity to relearn lost motor skills. This work aims to develop two new systems to modulate cortical activity to enhance acute motor output or memory consolidation during motor learning. In Aim 1, a unique sensorimotor environment will be developed to simulate unimpaired reaching and grasping movements controlled by the activation of their trunk muscles. Modulation of hand motor output will then be assessed. In Aim 2, a pipeline to assess acute effects of non-invasive neurostimulation will be developed and stimulation parameters will then be assessed with the validated pipeline. In Aim 3, a collection of novel closed-loop systems to optimally trigger neurostimulation specifically following successful movement across motor tasks will be developed and initially evaluated in older adults. A physical, enhanced sensorimotor environment and optimized neurostimulation to modify cortical pathways will enhance long term clinical outcomes following stroke and improve quality of life for aging adults.