Ann Van de Winckel, PhD, MSPT, PT

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Division of Physical Therapy; Division of Rehabilitation Science
University of Minnesota

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I am Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota and the Director of the Brain Body Mind Lab. The main research focus of the lab is to develop highly effective therapies for adults with stroke by understanding brain mechanisms and plasticity to improve motor recovery. We are particularly interested in elucidating how cognitive multisensory rehabilitation (CMR) improves motor function in adults with stroke. 

I developed two unique custom-made MRI-compatible robots with which I have identified key areas, such as the parietal operculum (parts OP1/OP4), related to higher-level sensory processing, in healthy adults and children, adults with stroke, and children with cerebral palsy. Recently, my lab found that CMR seems to restore parietal operculum connectivity along with 39% hand function recovery in adults who were 1-7 years post-stroke. I also have expertise in scale development and Rasch analysis to improve the evaluation of function in adults with stroke. My lab focuses on mind and body approaches and mindfulness in daily life to optimize self-management, quality of life and recovery in people with chronic diseases and chronic pain as well.