Research

Coombes
My specific research aims are to determine:

• Functional and structural brain markers for chronic musculoskeletal pain
• Functional brain activity related to acute pain
• Rehabilitation interventions for neurological disorders
• Neural mechanisms for how motor, pain, and emotional processes influence each other

Vaillancourt
My specific research aims are to determine:

• Rehabilitative, surgical, and pharmacological interventions for neurological disorders
• Longitudinal changes in brain structure and function in PD
• Functional and structural brain deficits in movement disorders
• Neural mechanisms for how visual input affects motor performance
• Neural basis for how the human brain regulates parameters of grip force

Collectively this research combines quantitative time series analysis techniques with systems level data collection methods including behavioral measures of force control, eye movements, electromyography (EMG), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), and high-density electroencephalography (EEG).