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Graduated as a physiotherapist in early 2018. For the past five years, I have worked with individuals with spinal cord injuries. Over the last few years, I have developed a strong interest in advancing research within the field. In the past six months, I have been involved with a clinic specializing in autonomic disorders, where we focus on identifying and providing treatment for autonomic dysfunctions in the circulatory system, with the aim of improving meaningful life and rehabilitation outcomes.

PhD and Reg. OT with extensive clinical experience in primary healthcare, rehabilitation technology industry, and spinal cord injury rehabilitation, together with teaching experience in universities and consumer organizations for people with e.g. spinal cord injury. Her research has focused on aging with spinal cord injury, participation in activities for people with spinal cord injury, and rehabilitation of people with syringomyelia.

I am a Neuroscience PhD candidate at Northwestern University. I study motor unit physiology in the spinal cord injured population using high-density surface EMG technology under the advisement of Monica Perez, PhD DPT, and CJ Heckman, PhD, and I am closely mentored by Gregory E.P. Pearcey, PhD. The main goal of my thesis work is to expand our understanding of altered motor unit behaviors after SCI and investigate their potential relationship with spasticity and the distortion of motor output.

Physiotherapist and PhD student at Umeå Univeristy, Sweden

Born and raised in Gothenburg, studied medicine in Denmark. I am now in my second year as a neurosurgery registrar and about to finish my PhD concerning mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in a porcine acute traumatic spinal cord injury.

Lydia Chen graduated from University of Sydney with a Master of Physiotherapy degree. She has gained over 16 years of experience working as a clinician at hospitals in Sydney and Melbourne in the areas of neurology and spinal cord injuries. She is currently a clinical specialist physiotherapist/Team Lead at RNSH spinal injuries unit and is completing a PhD degree investigating exercise and strength in people with spinal cord injuries.

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I am a Trainee Clinical Psychologist, with experience working with Spinal Cord Injury patients at the Midlands Centre for Spinal Cord Injuries (MSCI) in the UK. During this placement I had the opportunity to complete a service evaluation looking at psychological screening measures and their effectiveness within the service. I also have interests in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Psychodynamic Theory, Compassion Focused approaches and advocating for diversity and inclusion.

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Allen Heinemann is a Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and Director of the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. His program of rehabilitation-focused health services research includes measurement of patient-reported outcomes and evaluation of medical and vocational rehabilitation services. His Center developed the Rehabilitation Measures Database, an on-line compendium of outcome instrument reviews that are suitable for research and clinical applications. He is a diplomate in Rehabilitation Psychology and a fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) and the American Psychological Association. He is a past-president and fellow of ACRM and the Rehabilitation Psychology division. He serves as co-Editor-in-Chief for the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and is on the editorial boards of Rehabilitation Psychology and the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. He is the author of more than 500 articles and co-directs the Integrated Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Health Services and Outcomes Research at Northwestern. He received the Distinguished Career Award from the Rehabilitation Psychology division of APA and the Gold Key award from ACRM for “extraordinary service to the cause of rehabilitation.” He completed a doctoral degree in psychology at the University of Kansas.

Lisa Holmlund is an Assistant Professor at Karolinska Institutet with a clinical background as an occupational therapist. Her research focuses on everyday life participation and health. She has extensive experience in qualitative research and a strong interest in participatory methodologies for critical reflection on individuals' situations in relation to social systems and promoting change.

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Dr. Kowalski’s area of expertise and accomplishment is in the field of motor control and restoration of respiratory muscle function in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). His specific translational research contributions have been in the field of neuroprosthetic technology, with a focus on three related areas of emphasis: 1) implementation of neuroprosthetic systems for electrical activation of the inspiratory muscles to maintain full-time ventilatory support in patients with ventilator-dependent tetraplegia, 2) development and implementation of novel minimally invasive techniques to electrically activate the expiratory muscles to provide an effective cough mechanism to clear secretions more easily, reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with respiratory complications and overall improve quality of life in individuals with SCI and 3) development of novel implantable neuroprosthetic systems to allow patients with various neuromuscular disorders, not restricted to the SCI population only, to clear secretions to reduce respiratory complications. Dr. Kowalski and his colleagues successfully demonstrated, for the first time, complete restoration of respiratory muscle function, in individuals with SCI.

Dr. Brandon Lieu attended the University of Alberta for his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences. He continued his training at the University of Alberta for both medical school and residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. His interest in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Medicine grew into a passion throughout his residency training and he went on to complete his SCI Medicine fellowship at Stanford University. Dr. Lieu currently is a lecturer in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto and holds a hospital appointment with the University Health Network (Toronto Rehabilitation Institute—Lyndhurst Centre), where he continues to provide specialized care for individuals with SCI and contribute to research and education in this field. Dr. Lieu’s research interest has focused on the application of nerve and tendon transfers for people with SCI. He has obtained his Canadian certification in electrodiagnostic medicine and plans to apply this skill to push the frontier of nerve transfers and functional restoration in the SCI population.

Matthias Linke completed his medical school at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University in Glendale Arizona. He went on to complete his Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency at Loma Linda University, CA. Since 2007 he has been the medical director of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, AZ. In 2020 he completed a fellowship in Spinal Cord Injury at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He oversees the acute rehabilitation of patients in the hospital after spinal cord injury and sees patients in outpatient clinic. He also serves at the medical director at Rehab Without Walls. His goal is to help patients achieve their highest function with their impairments. He lives in Phoenix, AZ with his wife and four kids. His research interests are mobility Devices for Recreational Sports with Disabilities and bringing innovative technology to patients are Barrow Neurological Institute.

Dr. Marta Mascanzoni, a clinical psychologist, a Ph.D. candidate in the program "The Development and Well-being of Individuals and Organizations," specializing in Clinical Neurosciences and Psychopathology from the Department of Human Studies at LUMSA University in Rome. Currently, I have the opportunity to collaborate with the Santa Lucia Foundation, where I deepened my understanding of a multidisciplinary approach that integrates neuroscience, clinical psychology, and rehabilitation in the treatment of individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Rutger Osterthun is a PRM physician and senior researcher in the field of spinal cord injury at the Rijndam Rehabilitation Center and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of the Erasmus Medical Center. After obtaining his PhD in 2018 on “Outcomes after spinal cord injury” he is responsible for the research line on spinal cord injury which focuses on improving mobility with innovative solutions to improve both daily functioning as well as health. He initiated several research projects, including evaluation of regional health care pathways, ambulatory behavior, gait diagnostics and development and evaluation of new technological devices to improve mobility.

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Registered clinical dietitian, MSc, and professional lead at Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Norway since 2014. PhD student at the University of Oslo, Norway, Faculty of Medicine. The focus of my PhD research centers on spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation and the implementation of preventive dietetic strategies early on to mitigate long-term complications associated with diet and lifestyle. I am committed to empowering patients throughout their rehabilitation journey by integrating preventive measures, educational initiatives, innovative solutions, and practical skills within the hospital environment, as well as follow-up and home-based support. Since 2017, I have served as the chair of the Nordic Special Interest Group in Nutrition, known as NutriNord_SCI, under the umbrella of NoSCoS (the Nordic Spinal Cord Society). In 2023 I joined the newly established ISCoS Special Interest Group of Nutrition. I eagerly anticipate forging new connections and fostering collaborations within the global community of SCI researchers and clinicians. Together, I am confident that we can advance our understanding of SCI-related nutritional concerns, facilitating the dissemination of knowledge and enhancing the quality of care provided to individuals affected by spinal cord injuries. Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital is a public institution in Norway specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and it stands as the country's largest specialized hospital in this field. It provides sub-acute inpatient rehabilitation services for individuals recovering from spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, severe strokes, and multitrauma, ensuring high-quality care tailored to the unique needs of each patient. Additionally, we offer follow-up care and outpatient rehabilitation for patients with neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, supporting their ongoing recovery and health management. Contact: hannebjorg.slettahjell@sunnaas.no

Currently I have a total of 10 years professional experience as a Physical Therapist in The Netherlands. In 2011 I moved for 6 years to the USA. During that time, I took professional and volunteer positions at the UofA Disability Resource Center related to physical therapy and training the paraplegic Olympic tennis team. After my return back to The Netherlands I reactivated my Dutch PT license while working for a global solution provider in blending innovative robotic and virtual reality technologies, with focus on clinical integration. In 2018 I returned working ad a PT in De Hoogstraat Revalidatie in the Spinal Cord Injury rehabilitation department. In 2023 I completed my Masters in Neurorehabilitation and Innovation, with special intrest for innovations to improve SCI care. Such as, use of rehabilitation technologies like electrical stimulation, Extended Reality, intensive motor training and nutrition science. My thesis was focused on implementation of Mixed Reality in SCI rehabilitation training.

My PhD research focuses on understanding and improving cardiovascular health in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). I specifically investigate blood pressure regulation during the rehabilitation phase and long-term cardiovascular events. In addition, I am investigating high-intensity interval training to enhance cardiovascular fitness during the rehabilitation process. Furthermore, I explore physical activity behavior in daily life by analyzing actvity levels. By identifying effective rehabilitation interventions and improving long-term health management, my research aims to improve both the quality of life and long-term health outcomes for people with SCI.

Matthijs Wouda is a physiotherapist, with a Master of Science in human movements (VU University Amsterdam, 2004). In 2018 he attained has PhD at the faculty of medicine at Oslo University (Norway) with his work on “High intensity aerobic exercise in ambulatory persons with an incomplete spinal cord injury”. He has been head of the Clinical Physiology Laboratory at Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital since 2006. In addition, he is an affiliate assistant professor at Oslo Metropolitan University, at the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology. He has been publishing several peer-reviewed papers in the field of rehabilitation medicine, mainly with the focus on exercise physiology and accelerometry. Matthijs has a special interest in the use of sensor technology and robotics in the rehabilitation of persons with neurogical disorders.