The Plasticity, Monoamines, and Recovery of Function Laboratory (PMRF Lab), directed by Prof. Jacob McPherson, PhD, is housed within the Biomedical Engineering Department at Florida International University. The PMRF Lab conducts both animal and human-subjects neural engineering and neuropathophysiology research. We investigate mechanisms that contribute to neuropathic pain and motor impairments following injury to the central nervous system (CNS), with an emphasis on how sensory and motor systems influence one another in brainstem-spinal circuits. The goal of this work is to develop focused therapeutic strategies that facilitate and direct the intrinsic ability of the CNS to reorganize and repair. Specific research areas include:
Pathologies: stroke, spinal cord injury, and neuropathic pain (as a primary or secondary condition).
Physiology: neural plasticity, sensorimotor integration, monoaminergic neuromodulation of spinal circuits.
Techniques: neural-computer interfaces, electrophysiology (animal and human), neuropharmacology, physical therapy, biophysical signal processing, robotics, magnetic resonance imaging.
Focus Research Areas
Research conducted by members of the department is clustered into the following three areas:
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