Our Staff
Dr. Gordon has a broad background in neurophysiology and biomechanics and has extensive clinical and research expertise involving children with cerebral palsy. He has been studying hand motor control in healthy individuals and individuals with CP for over 25 years.
Dr. Gordon has a broad background in neurophysiology and biomechanics and has extensive clinical and research expertise involving children with cerebral palsy. He has been studying hand motor control in healthy individuals and individuals with CP for over 25 years. In 1996 he founded the Center for Cerebral Palsy Research at Teachers College, Columbia University. The Center places emphasis on understanding the mechanisms underlying motor disorders associated with CP, and developing evidence-based treatment approaches targeting these disorders using motor learning approaches taking advantage of neuroplasticity. More than 300 children with unilateral CP (hemiplegia) have participated in constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), bimanual training (HABIT), and recently combined upper and lower extremity training day camps (HABIT-ILE) for children with bilateral CP. Recently he has been capitalizing on his neuroplasticity findings associated with these approaches to pair non-invasive brain stimulation with motor training, and he and his colleagues have developed a robotic trunk training device for training seated postural control. He is a fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology, has more than 160 peer-reviewed papers and has received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and numerous private foundations.
Karen currently oversees management of all of our Center’s research projects, including several collaborative studies with Columbia University, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Astrid is a postdoctoral researcher and a trained physiotherapist with a PhD in motor science from the Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium (2024).
Astrid is a postdoctoral researcher and a trained physiotherapist with a PhD in motor science from the Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium (2024). Her research focuses on developing and implementing intensive motor skill learning interventions for individuals with neurological disorders, particularly infants and children with cerebral palsy. In her spare time, she enjoys running, playing tennis, and traveling.
Sirui is a doctoral student in the Kinesiology program. She received her Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Central South University, and Master of Research in Bioengineering (Musculoskeletal Science) at Imperial College London.
Sirui is a doctoral student in the Kinesiology program. She received her Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at Central South University, and Master of Research in Bioengineering (Musculoskeletal Science) at Imperial College London. In her spare time, she enjoys playing badminton, crocheting, and baking.
Sarah is a doctoral student in the Motor Learning and Control program. She received her B.S. in Child Development with a minor in Spanish from Vanderbilt University and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Duke University.
Sarah is a doctoral student in the Motor Learning and Control program. She received her B.S. in Child Development with a minor in Spanish from Vanderbilt University and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Duke University. She is a physical therapist with a focus on pediatrics, and is a Pediatric Certified Specialist through the American Physical Therapy association. Sarah is currently on a project implementing intensive motor skill learning interventions for individuals with neurological disorders, specifically spinal muscle atrophy (SMA). Her future research goals include analyzing the effect of sensory feedback on motor skills, and developing intensive motor skill learning interventions for low resource communities. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and spending time with her three children.