Alexander Brunfeldt, PhD, awarded TL1 Fellowship

Dr. Alexander Brunfeldt, Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgetown University Medical Center, was awarded a continuation of the Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science TL1 Fellowship through the Translational Biomedical Science (TBS) Program. The TBS program’s goal is to prepare pre- and postdoctoral trainees to become leaders in the translation of basic science into improved health outcomes in aging and disease. Dr. Brunfeldt was awarded a second year of support in the TBS program based on his exemplary performance during the first year, including his submitting 2 grants (NIH F32 and American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowships) and one manuscript.

The goal of his work is to translate basic science motor control research, specifically the optimal control of upper extremity reaching, into rehabilitation devices that improve health outcomes for stroke survivors. Dr. Brunfeldt has developed a rehabilitation platform, integrating virtual reality and exoskeleton devices, that increases the use of the impaired arm in chronic stroke survivors. His recent findings support the general hypothesis that stroke survivors can optimally control reaches, which opens the door to personalized interventions that fit the individual needs of each patient.