Vivian Mushahwar

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Vivian Mushahwar
Born
Jerusalem
Academic background
EducationBSc, Electrical Engineering, 1991, Brigham Young University
PhD, Bioengineering, 1996, University of Utah
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Alberta

Vivian K. Mushahwar FCAHS is a Palestinian-Canadian biomedical engineer. She is a Canada Research Chair in Functional Restoration at the University of Alberta, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

Early life and education[edit]

Mushahwar was born in Jerusalem to a young Palestinian couple as the second of three children.[1] She enrolled at Brigham Young University for her Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering before completing her PhD at the University of Utah.[2] During her undergraduate career, Mushahwar focused on learning math, physics and computer programming but she chose to pursue human application as a career after realizing that her skills can benefit many people who are living with a spinal cord injury in areas of political conflict and war.[3] As such, Mushahwar completed postdoctoral work in rehabilitative medicine at Emory University and neuroscience at the University of Alberta (U of A).[2]

Career[edit]

Following her postdoctoral fellowship, Mushahwar remained at the University of Alberta due to funding and the interdisciplinary interaction between engineering and neuroscience.[3] Upon joining the institution as a faculty member, she oversaw two laboratories; the Spinal Cord Injury & Neuroprostheses and Human Rehabilitation Engineering to restore function to limbs following spinal cord injuries.[4] During her early tenure at U of A, Mushahwar co-developed a device that increases weak nerve signals on the spinal cord to potentially allow paraplegics to walk.[5] She eventually received funding from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research to support her research for five years as she moved from animals to human subjects. The aim of the device was to allow for electronic stimulation of damaged nerves in the spinal cord to produce muscular movement.[6] Mushahwar later released a prototype of Smart-e-Pants, a custom electric underwear that helps prevent pressure ulcers or bedsores,[7] and Smart On-going Circulatory Compressions to prevent deep vein thrombosis and circulatory problems.[8]

In 2013, Mushahwar co-established a Centre for Neural Interfaces and Rehabilitation Neuroscience to assist her research in mobility issues.[9] She was also appointed director of the Sensory Motor Adaptive Rehabilitation Technology (SMART) Network to oversee the development of smart medical devices and rehabilitative interventions to improve quality the functionality for people with neural injuries and diseases.[10] As a result of her research and academic accomplishments, Mushahwar was also appointed a special advisor in Functional Electrical Stimulation Technologies at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.[11]

In October 2018, Mushahwar was appointed a Canada Research Chair in Functional Restoration to support her research in restoring mobility for Canadians living with spinal cord injury.[12] While serving in this new role, she was also recognized as a Killam Professor.[13] The following academic year, Mushahwar was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences for "pioneer[ing] the development of micro-implants for stimulating the spinal cord to restore standing and walking after paralysis."[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mushahwar, Vivian K. (2020). "Put to the Test". Brigham Young University. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Vivian K. Mushahwar". Brigham Young University. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Vivian Mushahwar on Challenging Herself in Spinal Cord Injury Research". Neuronline. March 30, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  4. ^ "Pressure Relief". Spinal Columns. 2007. pp. 22–23. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "Device developed in could help paralysed to walk again". Edmonton Journal. November 11, 1999. Retrieved February 15, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Million-dollar funding for medical research". Red Deer Advocate. March 19, 2002. Retrieved February 15, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Smart-e-Pants aim to eliminate bed sores". CTV News. February 1, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  8. ^ Bauer, Kirsten (February 19, 2021). "Professor's passion for 'rewiring' the human body draws international praise". University of Alberta. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  9. ^ Maurier, Raquel (May 7, 2013). "U of A medical researchers to build high-tech rehab science site and obtain powerful MRI scanners with more than $ 25 million in federal and provincial funding". University of Alberta. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  10. ^ Neitz, Ross (January 12, 2017). "SMART Network finds intelligent solutions for amputees and others with neural injury or disease". University of Alberta. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  11. ^ "Researcher adds expertise to spinal cord rehab program". University of Alberta. March 21, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  12. ^ Neitz, Ross (June 24, 2019). "New Canada Research Chairs driven to improve health outcomes for Canadians". University of Alberta. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  13. ^ "Killam Professor Recognition". University of Alberta. October 15, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  14. ^ O'Byrne, Ryan (September 22, 2021). "Canadian Academy of Health Sciences welcomes five FoMD researchers as new Fellows". University of Alberta. Retrieved February 15, 2022.

External links[edit]

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