Alex Wong, PhD, DPhil, OT, CRC

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About Me

Dr. Wong focuses on health services and outcomes research in rehabilitation care. His current research program focuses on the development, evaluation, and sustainable implementation of technology-based approaches in the study, assessment, and treatment of neurologic disorders. He is also interested in developing therapeutic tools targeting longitudinal measurement of patient outcomes and personalized and timely models of treatment delivery.

Dr. Wong is a Research Scientist in the Center of Rehabilitation Outcomes Research at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and a Research Associate Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Prior to joining Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Northwestern University in 2021, Dr. Wong served as an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, Neurology, and Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Research Interests

Digital health applications in rehabilitation medicine
Cognitive and behavioral interventions
Longitudinal outcome measurements and digital biomarkers
Precision and decentralized clinical trials

Location

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

355 E. Erie St.

Chicago, IL 60611

Education

1998 - 2001

Bachelor of Science (First Class Honors) in Occupational Therapy, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

2003 - 2007

Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

2009 - 2012

Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Fellowship

2012 - 2014

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health Services and Outcomes Research, Northwestern University/ Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

Featured Research

Precision clinical trials: a framework for getting to precision medicine for neurobehavioural disorders.

Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN

doi: 10.1503/jpn.200042

Lenze EJ,
Nicol GE,
Barbour DL,
Kannampallil T,
Wong AWK,
Piccirillo J,
Drysdale AT,
Sylvester CM,
Haddad R,
Miller JP,
Low CA,
Lenze SN,
Freedland KE,
Rodebaugh TL

Recent Publications

Measuring Activities of Daily Living in Stroke Patients with Motion Machine Learning Algorithms: A Pilot Study.

Chen PW, Baune NA, Zwir I, Wang J, Swamidass V, Wong AWK

International journal of environmental research and public health

doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041634

Rasch Analysis of Social Attitude Barriers and Facilitators to Participation for Individuals with Disabilities.

Wong AWK, Garcia SF, Hahn EA, Semik P, Lai JS, Magasi S, Hammel J, Nitsch KP, Miskovic A, Heinemann AW

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation

doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.09.390

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Social Interactions: Associations With Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Fatigue in Individuals With Mild Stroke.

Neff AJ, Lee Y, Metts CL, Wong AWK

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation

doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.08.007

Honors & Awards

Deborah L. Wilkerson Early Career Award
2019 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
Howard S. Hoyman Award
2012 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Best Project Award
2007 Hong Kong Occupational Safety and Health Council
Outstanding Project Award
2007 Hong Kong Ergonomics Society

Young Investigator Award
2004 Fourth Pan-Pacific Conference on Rehabilitation

Affiliations

NeuroRehab CDE Working Group – ADL Subgroup, NINDS/NICHD
2020 - 2021
Executive Committee, Measurement Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
2019 - Present
Membership Committee, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
2013 - Present

Grants

Mobile Rehabilitation for Daily Life Participation Post-Stroke
NIH/NICHD/NCMRR, K01 Program, Role: Principal Investigator, 2019 - 2024
Real-time Mobile Cognitive Assessments for Stroke Rehabilitation
NIH P2C Center for Smart Use of Technology to Assess Real-world Outcomes (C-STAR), Pilot Program, Role: Sub-award Principal Investigator, 2021 - 2022
Feasibility of Mobile Self-Management Intervention for Mild Stroke
American Occupational Therapy Foundation, Role: Principal Investigator, 2020 - 2021
Patient Engagement Intervention in Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation
Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, Psychosocial Research Program, Role: Principal Investigator, 2018 - 2021

Adapting mHealth Technology to Improve Patient Activation and Overall Wellness for Persons with Disabilities
Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Role, Co-Investigator, 2021 - 2022
Recovery Dynamics of Depression, Social Support, and Functional Status in Stroke Survivors after Inpatient Rehabilitation: Longitudinal Evidence from the Stroke Recovery in Underserved Populations Study
NIH P2C Center for Large Data Research & Data Sharing in Rehabilitation (CLDR), Pilot Program, Role: Sub-award Principal Investigator, 2018 - 2020
Ambulatory Assessment of Daily Function in Stroke Survivors
NIH/NICHD/NCMRR & NIH/NINDS, K12 CORRT Program, Role: K12 Scholar, 2018 - 2019
Measuring Activities of Daily Living in Stroke Patients with Motion Artificial Intelligence
NIDILRR, SBIR Program, 2018-2019, Role: Sub-award Principal Investigator, 2018 - 2019
Evaluating Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Survivors Who Received Chemotherapy
Siteman Investment Multi-PI Pre-R01 Program, 2017-2019, Role: Co-Principal Investigator, 2017 - 2019
Environmental Determinants of Social Participation after Spinal Cord Injury
Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, Psychosocial Research Fellowship, Role: Principal Investigator, 2014 - 2017
Improving Patient Outcomes through Engagement in Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: Perspectives of Patients, Clinicians, Administrators, and Policymakers
NIDILRR, Switzer Research Fellowship, Role: Principal Investigator, 2014 - 2016

Lab

This lab focuses on outcome studies, measuring the long-term impact of medical rehabilitation in patients with disabilities.

view lab

Work History

2014 - 2021
Assistant Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy
Washington university School of Medicine in St. Louis
2017 - 2021
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology
Washington university School of Medicine in St. Louis
2019 - 2021
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Washington university School of Medicine in St. Louis