Currently seeking PhD candidate for research in pain and modulation
NEUROPHYSIOLOGY & IMAGING LAB
Department of Kinesiology
McMaster University
OUR RESEARCH
Multimodal Research Investigating Sensorimotor Neural Plasticity
Our lab is focused on neural plasticity within sensorimotor spinal and cortical circuits for the ultimate purpose of improving hand and arm control. Our research aims to understand the neural mechanisms that underpin plasticity-inducing interventions including non-invasive brain stimulation, motor skill acquisition and exercise.
Our research uses multiple techniques including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), high-density electromyography (HD-EMG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), one-proton magnetic spectroscopy (MRS), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and brain machine interfaces (BMI).
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Trainees in our lab participate in team-driven interdisciplinary research and typically present their results at the annual Society for Neuroscience conference and others. Our lab is funded by CFI, ORF, NSERC, CRC, Early Researcher Award and other institutions.
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
BASIC MECHANISMS OF MOTOR CORTICAL FUNCTION
Dr. Martin Gibala - Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University
Expertise/interest: Exercise Physiology, Skeletal Muscle, Metabolism, Training Adaptations, Nutrition
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Dr. Margaret Fahnestock - Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University
Expertise/interest: Neurotrophin gene expression, regulation, signaling and trafficking with respect to Alzheimer's disease, autism and peripheral nerve injury.
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Dr. Michael Noseworthy - Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Hospital
Expertise/interest: Tissue microstructure & metabolism, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
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Dr. Mark Tommerdahl - Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC and NC State
Expertise/interest: Somatosensory Cortical Dynamics, Neurocomputation in living neural networks
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Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky (MD) - Division of Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, McMaster University
Expertise/interest: Mitochondrial disease/function, neuromuscular disease
NEUROLOGICAL INJURY
Dr. Ning Jiang - Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
Expertise/interest: Biological Signal Processing, Intelligent Human-machine Interfaces (HMI), Advanced Prosthetic Control with Electromyography (EMG, Real Time Close-Loop Brain Computer Interface for Stroke Rehabilitation
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Dr. Agnus Chmiel - Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, McMaster University
Expertise/interest: Musckuloskeletal injury, arthritis management, spasticity management, and electromyography
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Dr. Jed A. Meltzer - Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
Expertise/interest: Perception, Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience, Language, Neurolinguistics, Stroke, Aphasia, Rehab, fMRI, MEG
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Dr. Harsha Shanthanna (MD) - Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University
Expertise/Interest: Management and treatment of neuropathic pain
ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE
Dr. Robert Chen - Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital
Expertise/interest: Parkinson Disease, Motor Cortex, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), Dystonia, Plasticity, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Electroencephalography (EEG), Neurophysiology
Dr. Paul McNicholas - Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University
Expertise/interest: Computational Statistics, Mixture Model-based Clustering and Classification
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Dr. Zhen Gao - W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology, McMaster University
Expertise/interest: Automation Engineering Technology, Engineering Design, Health Technology
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Dr. Martin v. Mohrenschildt - Department of Computing and Software
Expertise/interest: Model Predictive Control, Signal Processing, Immersive Simulation, Sensors, Hybrid Systems
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