Image: An illustration depicting optogenetic stimulation of the brain, used to reveal underlying mechanisms of brain plasticity that lead to functional recovery from stroke. Courtesy Yazdan-Shahmorad lab.
Azadeh Yazdan-Shahmorad
Azadeh Yazdan-Shahmorad, UW’s Washington Research Foundation Innovation Assistant Professor of Neuroengineering in bioengineering and electrical engineering, has received an Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Engineering Career Development (IREK12) program award. This award will support Dr. Yazdan-Shahmorad’s efforts to develop novel neural interfaces and investigate the plasticity mechanism of the brain. Her lab aims to use neural technologies to develop stimulation-based therapies to help restore function and mobility in people with neurological disorders such as stroke.
The mission of the IREK12 program is to recruit and train scholars with engineering and other quantitative backgrounds to become successful rehabilitation scientists in basic, translational and/or clinical research. These rehabilitation scientists will have the ability to integrate knowledge from the various disciplines involved in Movement and Rehabilitation Science (MRS) research, including engineering, quantitative neuroscience and physiology, and affiliated clinical sciences.
The award program accepts three new scholars per year and provides up to two years of financial support, including $100K for salary and benefits, and $25K for research and training related expenses. Read more about the IREK12 program.