Neural Engineering LaboratorY
Sergiy Yakovenko, Ph.D., PI (pronounced: ser-GEE-y ya-ko-VEN-ko) Associate Professor in Human Performance - Exercise Physiology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr., Room 117 BMRC, Morgantown, WV, 26506-9303, USA
Adjunct Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, WVU
t: +1 (304) 293-7316 (Office)
Office: 117, Erma Byrd Biomedical Research Center (directions: http://g.co/maps/m96w8)
Email: sergiy.yakovenko(at)gmail.com
Google Scolar: Sergiy Yakovenko
Graduate Researchers
Emily Herrick, BS, in Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering
Emily's worked on the kinematics and kinetics of dynamic systems, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and design of control systems. The goal of current research is to integrate fundamental theoretical principles into developing the technology to advance the scope of prostheses and the understanding of human motor control. Emily is supported through a competitive NIH T32 award and NSF Graduate Fellowship.
Serhii Bahdasariants, BS, in Ph.D. Biomedical Science - Pathophysiology, Rehabilitaiton, Performance
Serhii is an electrical engineering student who transitioned to physiology/neuroscience research in Biomedical Program of West Virginia University. The goal of his research is to use machine learning methodology for the development of reliable real-time algorithms integrated within experimental tasks. Serhii is supported through a NIH/NICHR award, DOD RESTORE award.
Kacie O'Neil, BS, in Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering
Kacie develops solutions through interdisciplinary research with focus on healthcare field. Her interest is in sophisticated prosthetics, osseointegrated interfaces, and targeted muscle reinnervation. Kacie is supported through DOD RESTORE award.
Cheryl Brandmeir, BS, MS, in Ph.D. Biomedical Science - Pathophysiology, Rehabilitaiton, Performance
Cheryl adds objective measures to the description of sensorimotor pathophysiology of Parkinsonism and Alzheimer’s Diseases. She is using locomotor, postural, and psychometric tasks to describe dysfunction. By incorporating these measures, Cheryl develops a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the symptoms of these diseases. Her expertise in clinical applications allows her to analyze and interpret data from these tasks to identify specific areas of dysfunction and develop targeted interventions to improve patient outcomes.
Research Assistants
We are looking for undergraduate volunteers. If interested, please contact Dr. Yakovenko (seyakovenko(at)mix.wvu.edu).
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS
Hailey Ross in. B.S. Exercise Physiology. Hailey is working on the description of the central pattern generator using experimental and computational tools (MATLAB).
Alumni
Brooklyn Metz, BS, MS in Neuroscience
Brooklyn was working on the omnidirection navigation using treadmill and VR.
Olivia Santee MS Engineering. Olivia worked on the redesign of 3D printed prosthetic hands. She has worked on the commercialization and development of IP from laboratory technology. Olivia was supported by WV CTSI award.
Rawan AlGhawi, M.D. Rawan used ultrasound visualization of musculoskeletal actions in response to electrical stimulation.
Trevor Moon MS. Trevor worked on the realistic high-dimensional lower-limb model of humans for the assessment and control of prosthetic function. He was supported by EMBRO award.
Matthew Boots PhD Engineering, Ruby Distinguished Fellow. Matthew was developing wearable prosthetics and robotics for rehabilitation applications. He was developing sophisticated biomimetic controllers to improve stability and reliability of prosthesis. Matthew has developed computational and manufactured tools and explored their application in research and innovation. The support for his research came from Ruby Fellowship, DARPA HAPTIX award and travel supported by NIH T32 award from WVU stroke research center.
Anton Sobinov Ph.D. Neuroscience. Anton developed models of neural mechanisms, supported lab members on coding practices in Python and Matlab. Anton had diverse projects from modeling central pattern generators – stereotyped neural dynamic units – to the development of real-time transformations of high-dimensional muscle path relationships. Anton has received travel awards and was supported by DARPA HAPTIX award.
Lisa Kogan MS Engineering. Lisa completed M.Sc. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, B.M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, West Virginia University with thesis "Corticospinal excitability during locomotion in humans."
Ezequiel Salido, MD-PhD Neuroscience. Ezequiel trained in small rodent surgery and behavioral research.
Kiril Tuntevski, MS Neuroscience. Kiril works on figuring out the control mechanisms responsible for the adaptation and modification of asymmetric gait using cortical MEAs and EMGs.
Kyla Galbreath, M.S. in Exercise Physiology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University. Thesis: “Do humans drive spinal cord with limb velocity signal?”
Ruaridh Gollifer , M.S. completed research on "Development of a behavioral task in virtual reality with congruent and incongruent real-time virtual perturbations using Oculus Rift on a split-belt treadmill" for M.S. in BME at the University of Glasgow, UK.
Oleh Bodilovskyi, B.S., in Ph.D.. Oleh worked as a Visiting Research Scholar on the complexity reduction methods for the control of arm and hand movements.
Qiao Wen (Sophia) Tong, M.D. Sophia was learning to work with rodent stroke model and behavioral training in the lab. She completed 6 month training program for medical research requirement of Wenzhou People’s Hospital, China.
research ASSOCIATE Alumni
Neha Lal MS. Neha contributed to surgery preparations, behavioral recordings with rodents, analyzed intramuscular recordings and performed spike sorting.
Sarah has extensive experience training laboratory animals, organizing laboratory, preparing for surgery, and analyzing kinematic data.
Sarah Freeman <sfreem10@hsc.wvu.edu> BS, in Biology. Sarah has extensive experience training laboratory animals, organizing laboratory, preparing for surgery, and analyzing kinematic data.
Justine Shaffer, BS in Biology, Emphasis in Zoology. Justine was helping as a lab tech with surgery preparation and animal training.
UNDERgraduate Researchers
Lindsay Reese in. B.S. Exercise Physiology. Lindsay is working on developing VR workflows in UnrealEngine for
VR/AR tasks and rehabilitation games.
Griffin Snyder in B.S. Exercise Physiology. Griffin has been helping with muscle path simulations.
Jackson Malone in B.S. Biomedical Engineering. Jackson is learning the use of research methods in science. He is learning to assess scientific papers and learning programming.
Rotem Hass in B.S. Biomedical Engineering. Rotem has been working on musculoskeletal organization using MATLAB, OpenSim, and VR.
Alison Duke, B.S. in Exercise Physiology. Alison was working on the musculoskeletal models of hand and arm muscles.
Tanner Filben, B.S. Engineering, in Ph.D. program. Tanner designed and compiled interactive environments in VR, integrated sensors and processing algorithms in VR.
Naby Damarputra in B.S. EXPH. Naby was working on the data for the upper-limb model.
Eric (Ricky) Lagnese B.S. candidate in Mechanical Engineering. Ricky is working on the temporal analysis of data collected from humans with and without hands (transradial amputees). He is calculating stochastic templates for the natural repertoire of arm and hand movements.
Jon Scott in BS EXPH. Jon is collecting and digitizing of detailed muscle geometry for human lower-limb model.
Amanda Barbarossa in BS Biomedical Engineering. Amanda is developing kinematic real-time transformations for motion capture.
Adam Chivers in BS Biomedical Engineering. Adam was developing kernel PCA analysis and now learning dynamic modeling.
Rachel Lantz, B.S. Exercise Physiology. Rachel volunteered in the lab from 2012 helping with a sensorimotor adaptation study in humans.
Eva Roberts, Senior in Exercise Physiology with a minor in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Eva trains animals and collects behavioral data. Along with assisting in surgeries and handling chronically implanted animals, she is also participating in data analysis.
Ryan Ellison, B.S. in Psychology and Physics. Ryan was contributing to the studies of sensorimotor plasticity in animals. We have been testing new equipment in the lab. Ryan organized lab supplies, contributed to the design of animal training SOPs, and modified the reaching chamber. He can be regularly found in the room 142 playing with rats after hours on Tuesdays / Thursdays.
Catherine Kelly, B.S. Catherine helped with the behavioral training and assessment of rat locomotion and reaching.
Amanda Pollard, BS, in MS Exercise Physiology
Mandy was contributing to the studies of sensorimotor plasticity in animals. She was conducting behavioral studies, training rats to reach and walk consistently, she has developed in collaboration with Ryan Ellison IACUC SOP for food restriction in over-weight animals.
Jaclyn M. Babe, BS, in MS Exercise Physiology. Jaclyn was contributing to the studies of sensorimotor plasticity in humans. She was learning principles of motor control to apply them to the studies of stroke and spinal cord injury.
Ryan Gellner, in B.S. Engineering. Ryan was working on various projects to do with modeling musculoskeletal dynamics, making Arduino projects and figuring out how to code real-time control of the split-belt treadmill.
Rahul Mannan, in B.S. Rahul and Nikul were the undergraduate researchers helping us with the studies of locomotion in humans. The goal is to study sensorimotor mechanism responsible for asymmetric adaptations in healthy people and stroke survivors.
Nikul Patel, B.S. Rahul and Nikul were the undergraduate researchers helping us with the studies of locomotion in humans. The goal is to study sensorimotor mechanism responsible for asymmetric adaptations in healthy people and stroke survivors.
Kirsten Schoonover, B.S., in Ph.D. Kirsten helped with the behavioral training and assessment of rat locomotion and reaching. She has also been learning general surgical procedures and performing MCA occlusions and EMG implants.