# Pathophysiology and Rehabilitation of Neural Dysfunction

> **NIH NIH T32** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $77,219

## Abstract

Project Summary
This proposal seeks funding for the seventh cycle of our training program in Pathophysiology and Rehabilitation
of Neural Dysfunction (PRND). The program is based at Northwestern University, in close collaboration with the
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. It is directed by Dr. Eric Perreault, PhD, and co-directed by Drs. Levi Hargrove, PhD,
Lee Miller, PhD and Elliot Roth, MD. Trainees will be mentored by 26 highly collaborative and productive
scientists from seven departments in engineering and medicine. This group has broad expertise relevant to the
pathophysiology and rehabilitation of neural dysfunction, ranging from cellular neurophysiology to the
engineering of novel techniques, materials, and machines, to clinical implementation. Over the life of this
program, 49 predoctoral fellows, 36 postdoctoral fellows, and 17 summer interns have been supported
financially, and more than 200 others have benefitted from our T32 activities. Most trainees remain in academia,
and many are now established leaders in rehabilitation medicine. Our mission is to train prospective researchers
from engineering and the basic sciences to perform research on fundamental mechanisms underlying disabling
neurological illness, to guide the development of clinically meaningful tools for quantifying and relieving the
severity and impact of neurologic illness, and to pursue research on the effects of rehabilitation interventions on
disabling illnesses. Our training begins with a clinical experience centered on the patient, thereby providing
context for future research. The clinical experience is supplemented by scientific training in the mechanisms of
neurological dysfunction, information on technology transfer from the laboratory to the patient, and several
professional and network development activities to prepare our trainees for a productive career in rehabilitation
science. In this renewal application, we aim to build on our past achievements and increase our impact through
enhancements that will broaden the community of scientists we reach, refine the clinical experience we provide,
increase the rigor of our inquiry, and strengthen the professional development opportunities facilitating the
transition from trainee to independent scientist. We propose to train three predoctoral fellows, three postdoctoral
fellows and two summer interns. This is an increase of one postdoctoral fellow and one intern over our current
levels, reflecting growth in our research capacity. Predoctoral trainees will be selected from the rich pool of
applicants in the participating engineering departments (Biomedical, Computer Science, Materials Science, and
Mechanical). Postdoctoral fellows will be selected from these same departments, and from the medical
departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, and
Physiology. All participants will complete two years of training. By integrating the proposed innovations with the
successful pra...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10836656
- **Project number:** 3T32HD007418-32S1
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** ERIC JON PERREAULT
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $77,219
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1992-07-01 → 2027-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10836656

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10836656, Pathophysiology and Rehabilitation of Neural Dysfunction (3T32HD007418-32S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10836656. Licensed CC0.

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