Jinsook Roh
Director of Graduate ProgramAssociate Professor
Dr. Jinsook Roh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Houston (UH), TX.
Her research program is focused on understanding the neural mechanisms of motor coordination in healthy and pathological populations, especially stroke, and translating resultant scientific findings to Neural Engineering and Neurorehabilitation. Currently, her group is focused on developing novel rehabilitation strategies to enhance motor coordination using rehabilitation robotics and neuromodulation. Also, her group is creating automated, multi-modal quantification of motor impairment after stroke.
She holds her graduate degree in Systems and Computational Neuroscience at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with undergraduate Physics background (Summa Cum Laude; the highest GPA in the College of Natural Sciences). Before joining the University of Houston, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (the #1 rehabilitation research hospital for > 25 years in the US; currently name changed to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab) and Northwestern University. She served Temple University as an assistant professor before moving to UH.
Dr. Roh has performed research projects supported by extramural funds of the American Heart Association (AHA) Postdoctoral Fellowship, AHA Scientist Development Grant, and NIH. Dr. Roh is a 2022 National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipient.
The Rehabilitation Engineering for Improving Neuromotor Control (REIGN) Lab’s research is focused on understanding the mechanisms of neuromuscular coordination in neurologically intact and impaired individuals, especially stroke, and translating resultant scientific findings into developing novel neurorehabilitation strategies. We also assess the effects of the rehabilitation methods by using multi-modal approaches including brain imaging. Our multi-faceted work uses rehabilitation robotics, brain stimulation and neuromodulation, and electromyographic and kinematic quantification.
Selected Publications
- Seo G, Lee SW, Beer RF, Alamri AM, Wu YN, Raghavan P, Rymer WZ, Roh J* (2022) Alterations in Motor Modules and Their Contribution to Limitations in Force Control in the Upper Extremity after Stroke. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. In press.
- Seo G, Kishta A, Mugler E, Slutzky MW, Roh J* (2022) Myoelectric interface training enables targeted reduction in abnormal muscle co-activation. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 19:67. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-022-01045-z
- Liu H, Gao Y, Huang W, Li R, Houston M, Benoit JS, Roh J, Zhang Y (2022) Inter-muscular coherence and functional coordination in the human upper extremity after stroke. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, 19(5), 4506-4525.
- Houston M, Li X, Zhou P, Li S, Roh J†, Zhang Y (2021) Alterations in muscle networks in the upper extremity of chronic stroke survivors. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 29:1026-1034.
- Park J-H, Shin J-H, Lee H, Roh J†, Park H-S (2021) Alterations in intermuscular coordination underlying isokinetic exercise after a stroke and their implications on neurorehabilitation. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 18(1):110.
- Hong YNG, Nagesh A†, Fregly BJ, Roh J* (2021) Are muscle synergies useful for stroke rehabilitation? Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering, 19:100315.
- Li R, Li S, Roh J, Wang C, Zhang Y (2020) Multimodal Neuroimaging Using Concurrent EEG/fNIRS for Poststroke Recovery Assessment: An Exploratory Study. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 34(12): 1099-1110.
- Park J-H, Shin J-H, Lee H, Park C-B, Roh J†, Park H-S (2019) Design and evaluation of a novel experimental setup for upper limb intermuscular coordination studies. Frontiers in Neurorobotics, 13:72.
- Roh J*, Lee SW, Wilger KD (2019) Modular organization of force development under isometric conditions in the human arm. Journal of Motor Behavior, 51(1): 83-99. DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2017.1423020
- Rossi S, Artemiadis PK, Roh J, Agostini V (2018) Muscle synergies: use and validation in clinics, robotics, and sports. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics, vol. 2018, Article ID 5637568, 16 pages. DOI: 10.1155/2018/6345256.
- Roh J*, Beer RF, Lai A, Rho M, Karvelas KR, Nader AM, Kendall MC, Rymer WZ (2018) The effects of selective short-term muscle weakness on motor coordination at the elbow. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics. DOI: 10.1155/2018/5637568.
- Taborri J, Agostini V, Artemiadis PK, Ghislieri M, Jacobs DA, Roh J, Rossi S (2018) Muscle synergy applications in clinics, robotics and sports: a systematic review. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics. DOI: 10.1155/2018/3934698.
- Kostraba B, Wu YN, Kao PC, Stark C, Yen SC, Roh J (2018) Muscle activation pattern during self-propelled treadmill walking. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 30(8): 1069-1072.
- Roh J*, Rymer WZ, Beer RF (2015) Evidence for altered upper extremity muscle synergies in chronic stroke survivors with mild and moderate impairment. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9:6. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00006.
- Overduin SA, d’Avella A, Roh J, Carmena JM, Bizzi E (2015) Cortical representation of time-varying muscle synergies in the primate brain. Journal of Neuroscience, 35(37): 12615-12624.
- Roh J*, Rymer WZ, Perreault EJ, Yoo SB, Beer RF (2013) Alterations in upper limb synergy structure in chronic stroke survivors. Journal of Neurophysiology, 109: 768-781.
- Roh J*, Rymer WZ, Beer RF (2012) Robustness of muscle synergies underlying three-dimensional force generation at the hand in healthy humans. Journal of Neurophysiology, 107:2123-2142.
- Roh J*, Cheung VCK, Bizzi E (2011) Modules in the brainstem and spinal cord underlying motor behaviors. Journal of Neurophysiology, 106:1363-1378.
- Overduin SA, d’Avella A, Roh J, Bizzi E (2008) Modulation of muscle synergy recruitment in primate grasping. Journal of Neuroscience, 28: 880-892.