Dr. Deborah Won serves as Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at California State University, Los Angeles, where she directs the Neural Engineering Technology Laboratory. Her career exemplifies the integration of engineering principles with clinical neuroscience to address critical rehabilitation challenges. She played an instrumental role in establishing the biomedical engineering minor and upper-division specialization at Cal State LA, creating vital academic pathways for future generations of engineers. Her educational background in electrical engineering has provided the foundation for pioneering interdisciplinary research at the convergence of neural engineering and medical technology.
Dr. Won's research fundamentally focuses on acquiring, interpreting, and modulating electrical signals within the human body to develop innovative therapeutic interventions. Her laboratory pioneered work on neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapies for spinal cord injury rehabilitation, demonstrating through rodent model experiments how electrical stimulation of muscle nerves can help restore walking ability. She has extended this work into mobile health technology by developing an exergaming mobile fitness application specifically designed for wheelchair users, which transforms physical therapy into engaging games while monitoring exercise metrics. This groundbreaking approach has the potential to revolutionize rehabilitation accessibility and adherence for individuals with mobility impairments through user-centered design.
Beyond her research innovations, Dr. Won has significantly shaped biomedical engineering education and continues to advance the field through translational research with immediate clinical relevance. Her current investigations focus on identifying neural signatures of spreading depression as predictive biomarkers for stroke progression and developing electrophysiological markers for Parkinson's disease to optimize closed-loop deep brain stimulation. Through her leadership in the NeuroEngineering Journal Club and commitment to mentoring students, she cultivates the next generation of biomedical engineers. Dr. Won's work represents a paradigm shift in neurorehabilitation, bridging engineering innovation with patient needs to create practical solutions that enhance quality of life for individuals with neurological conditions.
