Susan Harkema, PhD, is the director of Consortium Growth for Spinal Stimulation in the Tim and Caroline Reynolds Center for Spinal Stimulation at Kessler Foundation. Dr. Harkema concentrates on developing and expanding the research implementation of both transcutaneous and epidural implant stimulation at centers in the U.S. and internationally.
Dr. Harkema is nationally recognized for her research in the field of spinal cord injury, neural plasticity, and neuromodulation. She held the position of professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Louisville for close to 20 years. She also held the Owsley B. Frazier Rehabilitation Chair in Neurological Rehabilitation and associate director of the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center where she led the Pediatric NeuroRecovery, Adult NeuroRecovery, and Epidural Stimulation programs. Under her leadership over the past decade, these programs have collectively been awarded over $90 million in grants for spinal cord injury research.
Dr. Harkema has published more than 110 scholarly manuscripts and book chapters; delivered over 100 worldwide lectures and keynotes; and sat on numerous advisory boards and review panels. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Doctorate degrees in Physiology at Michigan State University and conducted her postdoctoral fellowship in Neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Staff Credentials
Expertise
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Publications
View a more comprehensive listing of publications for Dr. Harkema on PubMed.
Research Interests
Dr. Harkema's studies concentrate on understanding how the spinal cord can adapt and reorganize itself in response to injury and interventions, which has significant implications for developing novel therapies to promote recovery led by advancements in epidural stimulation. Among her notable achievements is the discovery of the role neuromodulation and rehabilitation strategies play in restoring motor and autonomic functions in individuals living with spinal cord injury. Her recent studies have demonstrated that adults and children living with chronic paralysis can recover voluntary leg movement, stand independently, and improve cardiovascular and bladder function through epidural stimulation. These findings have expanded translational research, driving efforts to enhance the design and functionality of implantable epidural stimulators.
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