RAatE 2010 is delighted to announce this year's keynote speaker as Dr. Martin Ferguson-Pell.
Dr Martin Ferguson-Pell is the Dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta, which is the only free standing faculty of rehabilitation medicine in Canada.
After graduating with a PhD in biomedical engineering Dr Ferguson-Pell was appointed lecturer at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. In 1982 he relocated to New York and founded and directed the Centre for Rehabilitation Technology at Helen Hayes Hospital. He was also Associate Professor in Clinical Bioengineering in Rehabilitation at Columbia University and held an adjunct appointment in biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 1995 Dr Ferguson-Pell was offered the founding appointment to the ASPIRE Professorial Chair in Neuromuscular Restoration and Rehabilitation at University College London. During this time he was also appointed Director of Research and Development at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, a Board level position.
Dr. Ferguson-Pell's background is in Biomedical Engineering and he is a registered Clinical Scientist. He has extensive experience working in clinical-academic settings developing engineering solutions to overcome barriers experienced by people with physical disabilities. He employs traditional scientific methods, engineering design as well as qualitative methods to provide a balanced approach to the development and translation of research that directly influences the independence of people with physical disabilities.
Current Research Areas:
- Biomechanics of wheelchair propulsion relating to the risk of upper extremity over-use injury
- Identification of pathological changes in tissues subjected to prolonged ischemia using non-invasive techniques such as tissue reflectance and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
- Influence of osteogenic mediators on the rate of bone demineralisation in the acute phase of spinal cord injury
- Development of non-invasive techniques for the assessment of muscle fibre composition and muscle activity associated with functional electrical stimulation
- Design, development and evaluation of technologies for assisted living promoting increased independence and quality of life for people with functional limitations living in the community