Members

I am a master’s student in Physical Therapy, deeply passionate about understanding pain in all its forms and causes. My interest has led me to study the mechanisms of traumatic and chronic pain, particularly lower back pain, which significantly affects daily life. I focus on applying Pain Neuroscience Education to empower patients, reduce disability, and decrease fear of movement. My goal is to integrate scientific knowledge with clinical practice to improve patient outcomes and promote evidence-based rehabilitation.

Field of Clinical Psychology and Educational Psychology.

My main research area focuses on physical therapy, specifically on evaluating and developing interventions to improve functional mobility, reduce pain, and enhance quality of life for patients with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. I am particularly interested in evidence-based rehabilitation strategies, patient-centered care, and the role of exercise therapy in recovery. My research aims to integrate clinical practice with scientific insights to optimize outcomes, empower patients, and contribute to the advancement of physiotherapy knowledge and techniques.

My main research area focuses on the study and management of chronic musculoskeletal pain within the field of physiotherapy. Currently, we are conducting comprehensive evaluations using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG) to gain deeper insights into the neural correlates of chronic pain. Additionally, we are integrating Virtual Reality as an innovative therapeutic tool to enhance pain management strategies. Our research aims to develop advanced, evidence-based interventions that improve outcomes for patients suffering from chronic pain conditions.

My PhD thesis project focuses on non-invasive brain stimulation for treating Chronic Low Back Pain. Specifically, I am conducting a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to evaluate the effects of an active physiotherapy program combined with transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Pain, Resting State EEG activity, and an EMG biomarker: the Flexion Relaxation Phenomenon. Then we would also like to determine different low back pain phenotypes.

I am engaged in the study of the intricate relationship between affective disorders and their associated comorbidities, particularly chronic pain. To delve into this complex interplay, I employ a multi-faceted approach. For human subjects, I utilize behavioral tasks and non-invasive imaging methods to unravel the neural and behavioral foundations of these conditions. When working with animal models, I employ in-house developed, customizable polyimide-based flexible electrodes. These specialized tools enable me to gain deeper insights into the neural underpinnings of these disorders.

I’m currently a postdoc at UCLA researching the effects of TMS on smoking cessation and investigating how TMS alters the brain to achieve behavioral changes using resting state fMRI. I plan to apply this knowledge to research migraines and opioid substance use disorders.

I am trying to implement BCI in society through research and development in the field of neuroscience.

Researching for my Master Thesis in the clinical field, I am interested to learn more about endogenous pain modulation and pain neuroscience and technologies in general. I want to explore brain mechanisms of motivation and learning in context of pain stimuli. For the decision which pain stimuli I want to use for my study and how to oberserve the reaction, I am eager to learn more about brain monitoring and core technologies. Furthermore, I am doing an internship in the field of Biomarkers and data science, working with EEG.