
Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Research in Therapeautic and Reparative Neurotechnology focuses on biologically inspired technologies to interface with the nervous system to repair and promote recovery of lost function after trauma or disease. Research in this area includes behavioral studies, electrophysiology techniques, computational neuroscience, and machine learning methods to determine the mechanism of disease, to create new research paradigms and develop new treatments.
Research also spans both pre-clinical (i.e., animal) and clinical (i.e., human) neural engineering and neuropathophysiology, and includes investigations of motor and sensory function before, during, and after neuroprosthetic, pharmacological, and physical therapy-based interventions.
Current efforts focus on leveraging the differential effects of brainstem neuromodulatory centers on spinal motor and sensory circuits to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying neurological impairments. Topics of particular interest within this area include:
- Pathologies: stroke, spinal cord injury, whiplash associated disorders, and chronic pain.
- Physiology: neuromodulation (chemical and electrical), cortical and spinal reorganization, function and integrity of motor and sensory pathways post-injury, and activity-dependent neural plasticity.
- Techniques: robotics/quantification of motor deficits, biophysical signal processing, recurrent neural-computer interfaces, neuropharmacology, physical therapy, electrical stimulation of the central nervous system, magnetic resonance imaging.

Raj Pulugurtha, Ph.D.
Associate Professor | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Research Area: Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Lab: Bioelectronic and Electronic Packaging Lab
Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/raj-pulugurtha/

Jorge Riera, Ph.D.
Associate Professor | Interim Chair of Biomedical Engineering

Research Advancements: Jorge Riera is making strides in treating multiple brain disorders.
Research Area: Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Lab: Neuronal Mass Dynamics Laboratory
Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/jorge-riera/

Oleksii Shandra, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Research Advancements: Oleksii Shandra has characterized a mouse model of post-traumatic epilepsy after repeated diffuse traumatic brain injury and a technique for live brain multi-photon imaging and single-cell laser stimulation to study astrocyte calcium signaling before and after brain injury. Dr. Shandra examines electrophysiological and imaging biomarkers of epileptogenesis and pathophysiological mechanisms of the astrocyte-neuron networks.
Research Area: Arrays and silicone probes, Live brain multi-photon microscopy, Preclinical models of traumatic brain injury, sleep deprivation and acquired epilepsy, Use of transgenic mice and adeno-associated viruses, Immunohistochemical assays and confocal microscopy, MATLAB-based algorithms for spike and seizure detection and power spectrum analysis, Drug screening, Deep brain stimulation, Transcranial magnetic brain stimulation
Lab: Shandra Lab
Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/oleksii-shandra-ph-d/

Nikolaos Tsoukias, Ph.D.
Professor

Research Advancements: Nikolaos Tsoukias studies neuromuscular coupling.
Research Area: Engineered Tissue Model Systems
Lab: Vascular Physiology and Biotransport
Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/nikolaos-tsoukias

Anuradha Godavarty, Ph.D.
Professor | Certified Hybrid Instructor

Research Advancements: Anuradha Godavarty is developing a low-cost hand-held wound healing assessment and conducting clinical studies.
Research Area: Diagnostic Bioimaging Sensor Systems
Lab: Optical Imaging Laboratory (OIL)
Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/people/faculty-instructors/anuradha-godavarty/

Heidi Mansour, Ph.D. - Secondary Appointment
Professor

Research Advancements: Innovative inhalation aerosols as advanced inhalable microparticles/nanoparticles in airway and vascular diseases, lung surfactant multifunctional nanocarriers, nose-to-brain noninvasive therapeutic delivery, and biodegradable/biocompatible polymers for sustained-release delivery peptides/proteins/biologics.
Research Area: Research in Engineered Tissue Model Systems and Therapeutic and Reparative Neurotechnology
Lab: Mansour Lab
Website: https://bme.fiu.edu/heidi-mansour-ph-d-secondary-appointment/