1. What is your favorite part about neuromodulation work?
My favorite part about my work is getting to meet research participants, especially those impacted by Parkinson's disease, and knowing that the work we do will help people just like them.
2. What is your favorite kind of neuromodulation technique and/or equipment and why?
I think Deep Brain Stimulation is so interesting, because it is so complex. It can be very effective for many motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but less effective for things like gait and balance, and I love studying how it works and how we can improve it.
3. What kind of conditions do you treat with neuromodulation?
I study Parkinson's disease. In particularly, I combine neuromodulation with quantitative motor assessments to investigate how neural changes affect movements like reaching, standing, and walking.
4. Any sparks of inspiration you would like to share?
I often quote to myself a motto from Dory, in "Finding Nemo": "Just keep swimming". Sometimes things don't seem like they're working out, but keep your head down, keep working on the problem, and you can often find a solution.
5. What is your favorite part of the brain and why?
I should say the basal ganglia, but my first love was the primary motor cortex, which is where I first experienced neuromodulation during my PhD work. It's also fitting because I love studying movement and how movement is controlled.
6. Any exciting news or breakthroughs you'd like to share regarding your neuromodulation work?
We've recently been quantitatively exploring how deep brain stimulation differentially affects rigidity and bradykinesia compared to gait and balance, and I'm looking forward to sharing more soon!
