Susan E. Fasoli

About

Susan E. Fasoli is a pioneering rehabilitation scientist whose career has been defined by her groundbreaking work at the intersection of robotics, neuroscience, and stroke recovery. Her research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how the brain and body recover motor function following stroke, with a particular focus on upper limb rehabilitation in chronic and acute patient populations. Fasoli's most celebrated contribution is her application of robotic therapy devices to systematically analyze and improve motor recovery. Her landmark 2002 study on movement smoothness (777 citations) demonstrated that measurable kinematic improvements accompany stroke recovery, providing an objective framework for evaluating rehabilitation outcomes. Her subsequent work confirming the effectiveness of robotic therapy in chronic stroke patients (517 citations) helped legitimize an entirely new therapeutic paradigm. She further deepened the field's understanding by investigating motor synergies, submovements, and the behavioral mechanisms underlying robotic assistance, exploring not just *whether* robots help, but *how* and *why* they promote neural reorganization. With thousands of cumulative citations across her published work, Fasoli has helped translate laboratory research into clinical practice, authoring influential translational reviews and advocating for science-based, evidence-driven rehabilitation. Her contributions have shaped modern neurorehabilitation and continue to inspire a generation of researchers and clinicians worldwide.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Movement Smoothness Changes during Stroke Recovery

   777 citations · 2002
2. 2
   Effects of robotic therapy on motor impairment and recovery in chronic stroke

   517 citations · 2003
3. 3
   Motions or muscles? Some behavioral factors underlying robotic assistance of motor recovery

   374 citations · 2006
4. 4
   Changing Motor Synergies in Chronic Stroke

   267 citations · 2007
5. 5
   Robotic therapy for chronic motor impairments after stroke: follow-up results

   237 citations · 2004
6. 6
   Comparison of Two Techniques of Robot-Aided Upper Limb Exercise Training After Stroke

   206 citations · 2004
7. 7
   A paradigm shift for rehabilitation robotics

   163 citations · 2008
8. 8
   Robot-Aided Neurorehabilitation: From Evidence-Based to Science-Based Rehabilitation

   152 citations · 2002
9. 9
   Submovement changes characterize generalization of motor recovery after stroke

   126 citations · 2008
10. 10
    Robotic Technology and Stroke Rehabilitation: Translating Research into Practice

    125 citations · 2004

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links