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Elizabeth (BAppSc PT, PhD) trained as a physiotherapist at the University of Sydney and worked as a clinician for almost 10 years at Prince of Wales Hospital where she specialised in spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation. She obtained her PhD from the University of Sydney in 2020 completing her research at NeuRA and the Kolling Institute. Elizabeth now works as a Research Fellow in the Spinal Cord Injury Research Centre (SCIRC) at NeuRA. Elizabeth's research investigates neuromodulation in SCI. She is part of a team currently conducting clinical trials exploring the effects of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation on various outcomes such as walking ability, hand and arm function and breathing in chronic SCI.

Gary J. Farkas, PhD, MSCTI, received his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a master’s degree in clinical and translational investigation from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and a doctor of physiology in anatomy from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. He spent his final years training as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine / The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Dr. Farkas is currently an assistant professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, with a secondary appointment in The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, where he serves as the Principal Investigator and Director of the Appetite and Energy Metabolism (AEM) laboratory. His funded research focuses on neurogenic obesity after spinal cord injury, examining the factors that influence energy metabolism, appetite control, and eating behavior, along with testing strategies for intervention. Dr. Farkas is an award-winning researcher recognized by numerous local and national organizations. He has authored over 50 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and presented his findings at national and international conferences.

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Ashraf S. Gorgey is currently the Director of Spinal Cord Injury Research at Richmond VA Medical Center and Professor at Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University. He has a bachelor and master degrees in physical therapy. He acquired his PhD in exercise physiology in 2005 with special emphasis on electrical stimulation, muscle activation and fatigue from the University of Georgia. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan with special focus on studying the adaptations in body composition and metabolic profile after SCI. His research background is in Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology with special interest in individuals with SCI. His research work has focused on investigating rehabilitation strategies that could improve the quality of life in individuals with SCI and minimize the SCI health related secondary complications. Dr. Gorgey is primarily interested in applications of electrical simulation and the capability of utilizing exercise intervention to evoke skeletal muscle hypertrophy, favorable body composition and metabolic profiles in persons with chronic SCI. He is also interested in understanding the cellular and molecular adaptations to unloading and hypertrophy. Dr. Gorgey is currently previously examined the effects of resistance training and testosterone replacement therapy interventions on parameters of physical activity in persons with SCI including body composition, metabolic and mitochondrial health. He has become interested in applications of robotic Exoskeleton, transspinal stimulation and epidural stimulation for enhancing motor recovery and locomotion after SCI. His research has received a national recognition by different organizations, including the Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Defense. Dr. Gorgey has published more than 160 peer-reviewed articles and presented nationally as well as internationally in different scientific meetings.

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