Heidi Schambra, MD

My mother, who was a neuroscientist, inspired my love for the brain. What excites me most about the brain is its capacity for plasticity, the ability to physically change in response to new experiences and activities. Neuroplasticity is the driver of our ability to learn new movements, language, and information.

During neurology residency, I discovered that doctors have few therapies to offer patients who are recovering from stroke, which is a leading cause of disability in the United States. I was surprised that the field of neurology had not yet harnessed neuroplasticity to help patients recover, so that they could effectively relearn how to feed, dress, and care for themselves. I decided to build a research program focused on neurorehabilitation that targets neuroplasticity to help people recover from stroke.

Part of my research seeks to identify pathways in the brain that are important for regaining upper limb function after stroke. Doctors can then boost neuroplasticity in these pathways through interventions like rehabilitation training, brain stimulation, and pharmacology. Another part of my research is developing a measurement tool to automatically count rehabilitation movements, so that rehabilitation training can be delivered to patients in a high-intensity, measured fashion.

In my clinical role, I care for people who are inpatients at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation. I work with physiatrists, occupational and physical therapists, and speech and language pathologists to optimize patients’ medical state and to maximize their rehabilitation training.

My patients benefit from access to clinical trials, which may help to restore their upper limb function. Through my involvement in these trials, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to help patients and advance rehabilitation options.

My research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.