People

Leah Bent, BScH, MSc, PhD – Principal Investigator

Education:

BSc. (Honours) Human Kinetics – University of Guelph

MSc. Biomechanics and Neurophysiology – University of Guelph

PhD. Biomechanics and Neurophysiology – University of British Columbia

Post-Doctoral Fellow – Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute (POWMRI), Sydney Australia

Research Fellow – Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute (POWMRI), Sydney Australia

Erika Howe, BScH, MSc, RKin – PhD Candidate

Education:

BSc (Honours), Human Kinetics – University of Guelph 

MSc, Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (Neuroscience) – University of Guelph 

Research Interests: Exploring the relationship between sensory feedback in the skin and microvascular blood flow on the foot sole when loaded akin to standing and gait to help understand the development of diabetic foot ulcers. Investigating the use of enhanced peripheral blood flow as a means of improving cutaneous sensitivity.

Michael Apollinaro, BScH – PhD Candidate

Education:

BSc (Honours), Psychology: Brain and Cognition – University of Guelph 

Research Interests: The generation of tactile and electrotactile percepts. Mechanoreceptor firing characteristics and their relation to both sensation and perception. Integration of tactile feedback improvements in prosthetic design. Design of biomimetic stimulations, sensory substitution, and enhancement.  

Emma Plater, BScH, MScPT – PhD Candidate

Education:

BSc (Honours), Human Kinetics – University of Guelph (2013) 

MSc Physical Therapy – Queen’s University (2015) 

Research Interests: The use of very light tactile stimulation in enhancing skin sensitivity and the generation of cutaneous reflexes. Applications to lower extremity prosthetics – sensory enhancement of the residual limb in the prosthetic socket to enhance mobility and skin health. 

Tushar Sharma, BScH, MSc – PhD Student

Education:

BSc (Honours), Human Kinetics – University of Guelph 

MSc, Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (Neuroscience) – University of Guelph 

Research Interests: Understanding how the activation of cutaneous mechanoreceptors influences motor outputs at the whole muscle and single-motor unit level. I am also interested in using techniques to enhance cutaneous activation to improve motor outcomes. 

Davis Forman, BScH, MSc, PhD – Post Doctoral Fellow

Education:

BHSc (Honours), Faculty of Health Sciences – University of Ontario Institute of Technology 

MSc, School of Human Kinetics and Recreation – Memorial University of Newfoundland 

PhD, Faculty of Science – University of Ontario Institute of Technology  

Research Interests: My master’s degree examined how cortical and spinal pathways make unique contributions to rhythmic motor tasks, such as arm cycling, compared to non-rhythmic motor tasks. My PhD focused on factors that can influence forearm muscle activity, and how these factors can potentially be changed following acute neuromuscular fatigue. I am currently interested in how the application of cutaneous stimulation to the hand, wrist, and forearm influences forearm muscle activity, fatigue-induced via hand-gripping, and cortical and spinal pathways. 

Daniel Genaro Juarrero, 4th Year Research Project

Education: Bsc (Honours) Human Kinetics, minor in Neuroscience (in progress)

Research Interests: The use of vibration to relay information about various sensations to populations of individuals with sensory deficits. Sensory substitution integration in prosthetic design.  

Daniel Mills, 4th Year Research Project

Education: Bsc (Honours) Human Kinetics (in progress)

Research Interests: I’m a 4th year student in the Human Kinetics program here at the University of Guelph, with plans to graduate following the Winter 2021 semester. My research interests lie in the sensory aspects of the skin, specifically looking into sensory illusions and the Cutaneous Rabbit Effect.