Саенко Дмитрий Геннадьевич

My overarching research interests are to promote neuromodulatory and activity-based treatments of mobility impairments and to improve motor function after neurological disorders and injuries, including stroke and spinal cord injury. I focus my research on the inherent properties and potential for plasticity of the neuromuscular system in healthy and disabled populations. Currently, my research pursues the questions regarding the extent to which non-invasive electrical spinal cord stimulation can neuromodulate spinal circuitry to recover balance control and mobility. I have been working in the area of regulation of postural control in human subjects for over 20 years. During this time, I worked as a research scientist in studies investigating the effects of spaceflight on postural control, realized jointly with various space agencies, including the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). During my postdoctoral training in Japan and Canada, I demonstrated the effects of balance training on postural control during standing and walking in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), and I developed and implemented a training system to regain strength of paralyzed muscles. Further, from 2012 to 2014, as a faculty member, I investigated the mechanisms of neuromodulation induced by epidural spinal cord stimulation in individuals with SCI at Frazier Rehab in Louisville, KY. Over the next four years, I worked at UCLA on clinical applications epidural and transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. Currently, I work at the Department of Neurosurgery and Center for Neuroregeneration at the Houston Methodist Research Institute ‒ a environment with rich resources and easy accessibility to the clinic that was purposefully built for studies in neuroregeneration. My current project focuses on cervical epidural spinal stimulation to aid upper-limb function recovery, building directly upon my previous work in neuromodulation, neurophysiology, and functional neurorehabilitation. The combination of my past experiences and the state-of-the-art resources available at Houston Methodist enables me to continue pursuing innovative therapies that aim to significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with SCI. My ultimate goal is to translate these neuromodulatory interventions into clinical practice, offering new hope for patients with neurological conditions.