UF BME Ph.D. student, Stephanie Cernera, will join doctoral students from neuroscience, genetics, bioengineering and applied physiology-kinesiology for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) funded T32 training grant directed by Drs. Dawn Bowers and David Vaillancourt.

The goal of this program is to help train a future generation of independent investigators with programs of research in movement disorders that focus on the ABC’s of translational research: aetiology, biomarkers/phenotypes, causative and/or symptom based therapies.  To do so, the program encompasses three themes of critical relevance:
·         Training in human movement and cognitive neuroscience
·         Training in molecular biology and animal models
·         Training in translational neuroscience and physiology

Cernera conducts research in Dr. Aysegul Gunduz’ lab. Her primary research focus is neurological disorders, medical device development, and brain-computer interfaces. Specifically, her Ph.D. project focuses on the development of a closed-loop deep brain stimulation system using information from wearable sensors in essential tremor patients.

NINDS is an Institute within the National Institutes of Health that aims to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

Congratulations, Stephanie!