PhD Candidate
Biomedical Engineering, Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University
I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
My name is Thomas Plaisier, MA, currently a PhD candidate at Northwestern University Chicago. When I started my undergraduate studies, I aimed for a broad profile of knowledge that includes both biological and mechanical aspects of biomedical engineering. Both aspects sparked my interest in applying an engineering basis to the challenges and unknowns in healthcare, specifically in rehabilitation. To develop targeted and effective methods for identification, diagnosis, and treatment of various afflictions that impair human motor control, we need to be able to look beyond what is on the surface, and employ advanced yet practical technical solutions to answer open questions in the field. I strive to make engineering practices applicable and translatable to real-life applications. I believe that novel and innovative engineering, combined with a deep interest in the workings of the human body and its ability to recover after disease or injury, can help improve the well-being of many and improve our understanding of human motor control. The department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University is at the forefront of rehabilitation science, employing physical therapists, engineers, and researches from varied backgrounds to do groundbreaking research together. This research is also being translated into clinical pplications for stroke rehabilitation, with years of study culminating into devices that assist with e.g. motor control of the upper limb in ways that go beyond the superficial symptoms.