I am a biomedical engineer with expertise in the theoretical and experimental evaluation of neural stimulation technologies. I am the Principal Investigator of the Neuromodulation Laboratory in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan. I am also the Director of Neuromodulation in the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center. Our group’s research focuses on the theoretical and clinical characterization of neurostimulation technologies, such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS), for chronic pain management. We have developed sophisticated computational models to investigate the physiological effects and corresponding mechanisms of action of these neurostimulation technologies.

Electrical stimulation therapies, such as SCS, represent nonpharmacologic treatment options for pain management and a multi-billion dollar per year medical device market. Although these technologies have existed for decades and are currently used to treat thousands of patients a year, some patients respond remarkably well to these therapies, while other patients fail to achieve sufficient pain relief. The reasons behind these mixed outcomes are unknown. Therefore, we implement a patient-specific approach that integrates detailed clinical mechanistic testing with computational models of SCS. We believe that this systematic approach will improve our understanding of the mechanisms of action of SCS and other neurostimulation therapies and help explain why they work in some patients but not others. We also expect that the knowledge gained from this type of approach will help improve patient selection and several aspects of these neurostimulation technologies (e.g., stimulation parameters, lead design).

Neurostimulation for chronic pain: Characterization of the therapeutic mechanisms of neurostimulation
therapies for chronic pain management with the goal to innovate new technologies that improve outcomes.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS): Investigation of the mechanisms of action of current and novel SCS
technologies for chronic pain management.

Neural engineering: Utilization of computational models and experimental techniques to understand the
effects of electrical stimulation on neural tissue and the factors that affect the quality of neural recordings.