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Wen Liu, Ph.D.

Wen Liu portrait
Associate Professor, Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science, and Athletic Training
wliu@kumc.edu

Professional Background

Wen Liu, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science, and Athletic Training. Currently, he is responsible for teaching in the physical therapy and rehabilitation science doctoral degree programs. He also performs research in the field of rehabilitation and serves on various student and faculty committees.

Liu teaches a class on research in evidence-based physical therapy practice and coordinates research practicum efforts in the physical therapy doctoral program. He is also responsible for teaching classes in the rehabilitation science program on instrumental analysis of human function and MatLab programming.

Academic Background
Liu earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Nanchang University, China. Before moving into medical science, Liu completed a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

After serving as a research engineer in the biomechanics laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine, Liu earned a doctorate in biomedical engineering from the Institute of Biomedical Science and Engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Continuing on in his research, Liu worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Calgary. He later served as a research associate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. Since 1999, Liu has held an appointment as an assistant professor in the School of Health Professions.


Research

Overview

Liu is currently conducting research in the area of motor learning, postural control, and gait disorders in individuals with age-related diseases such as stroke and Parkinson’s disease. He is also working on research projects to quantitatively assess the effect and mechanism of complementary medicine approaches including acupuncture and qigong exercise in cancer patients and individuals with neurological diseases. In addition, he and his students are involved in research of functional instability of the ankle joint after sprain injuries.

By utilizing a number of cutting-edge approaches, such as sensory-enhanced and robot-aided training, Liu hopes to create a more comprehensive understanding of how motor training can positively impact individuals with neurological or motor functional impairment.

Lab Group Site: Neuromuscular Research Laboratory
Focused on the neuromotor control of movement, locomotion, and balance, the lab team studies the posture and gait disorders in post-stroke individuals, as well as those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. These researchers are developing novel approaches and technologies in neuro-rehabilitation.