Biography

Dr. Nuray Yozbatiran is an Associate Professor for Research in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. Dr. Yozbatiran received her Ph.D degree from Dokuz Eylul University School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Izmir, Turkey. She was a postdoctoral fellow in Department of Neurology at University of California, Irvine and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at McGovern Medical School.

She has been involved in clinical studies emphasizing recovery of upper-limb functions after stroke and spinal cord injury, by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT), robotic exoskeletons and used functional MRI to study mechanism of recovery (Mentor: Steven Cramer, MD at UCI). She is primarily interested in development and optimization of treatment protocols for rehabilitation of upper-limb movements in persons with stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. Treatment modalities vary between non-invasive brain stimulation devices such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), robotic exoskeletons and exercises. Secondarily she is interested in underlying mechanism of neurorecovery, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI techniques.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey, 1996-2000
Postdoctoral Research
Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, California, 2005-2007

Areas of Interest

Research Interests

  • Neurorehabilitation in Stroke
  • Spinal Cord Injury and traumatic brain injury
  • Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
  • Neuroimaging with Functional MRI
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

Grants Funded and Active

  1. Effects of combined transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and robotic-assisted training on arm and hand functions in subjects with incomplete spinal cord injury
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Period: 09/12 – 08/14
    Funding Agency: Mission Connect/ TIRR Foundation
    The major goal is to test the effect of a treatment modality on improvement of arm and hand functions, where non-invasive brain stimulation is combined with repetitive training
  2. Brain Machine Interface Control of a Therapeutic Exoskeleton to Facilitate Personalized Robotic Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb
    Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Francisco, GE)
    Period: 08/12- 06/16
    Funding Agency: NIH-National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
    Grant Number: 1R01NS081854-01
    The major goal of this study is to accelerate the development, efficacy and use if robotic rehabilitation after stroke capitalizing on the benefits of patient intent and real-time assessment of impairment.

Publications

Visit the PubMed profile page

1)    Yozbatiran N, Berliner J, O’Malley MK, Pehlivan AU, Kadivar Z, Boake C, Francisco GE. Robotic training and clinical assessment of upper extremity movements after spinal cord injury: a single case report. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 2012; 44(2):186-8

2)   Yozbatiran N, Harness E, Le V, Luu D, Lopes CV, Cramer SC. A tele-assessment system for monitoring treatment effects in subjects with spinal cord injury. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. ) 2010; 16(3):152-7.

3)   Yozbatiran N, Alonso-Alonso M, See J, Demirtas-Tatlidede A, Luu D, Motiwala RR.     Pascual-Leone A, Cramer SC. Safety and behavioral effects of high frequency repetitive  transcranial magnetic stimulation in stroke. Stroke. 201040(1):309-12

4)   Harness E, Yozbatiran N, Cramer SC. Effects of Intense Exercise in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.  Spinal Cord.  200946(11):733-7

5)   Yozbatiran N, Der-Yeghiaian L, Cramer SC. A Standardized Approach to Performing the Action Research Arm Test. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2008; 22(1):78-90