Grace Hoo

Senior Project Coordinator
Contact

My Labs

Knowledge Translation: Exercise and Activity for Symptom Management (KTEAM)

We research implementation science methodology to study best ways to translate findings of exercise research studies into the real-world clinical & community.

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Regenstein Foundation Center for Bionic Medicine

Our vision is to develop, evaluate, and translate transformative technology to advance human ability

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Affiliated Lab

Neurorehabilitation and Neural Engineering Laboratory

At the Neurorehabilitation and Neural Engineering Laboratory, the goal of our research is to develop improved intervention strategies for gait rehabilitation. Led by P.I. Dr. Jose Pons PhD.

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About Me

Grace Hoo currently serves as Senior Project Coordinator in Dr. Miriam Rafferty's Knowledge Translation: Exercise and Activity for Symptom Management (KTEAM) Lab and Dr. R. James Cotton's Intelligence Sensing and Rehabilitation (ISR) Lab. She is interested in implementation science methodology, particularly studying the implementation of evidence-based practices and novel technologies into real-world rehabilitation settings.

She is also interested in the study of alternative strategies to reduce tremor (e.g., in individuals with Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor) such as how sensory stimulation can be exploited to modulate tremor amplitude. She also has an interest in rehabilitation robotics, the durable medical equipment ordering workflow, and investigating ways to streamline the process, in particular for ordering complex wheelchairs.

Grace earned her biomedical engineering degree in Bioengineering from the University of Chicago, 2013, and earned her Masters in Applied Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, 2022. She previously served as Senior Project Coordinator in Dr. José L. Pons' Neurorehabilitation and Neural Engineering Lab.

Location

Shirley Ryan Abilitylab

355 E. Erie St

Chicago, IL 60611

Education & Training

  • Education

    2020 – 2022

    M.S., Applied Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University

    2009 – 2013

    B.S., Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago

Recent Publications

Peripheral electrical stimulation to reduce pathological tremor: a review.
Pascual-Valdunciel A, Hoo GW, Avrillon S, Barroso FO, Goldman JG, Hernandez-Pavon JC, Pons JL
Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation
doi: 10.1186/s12984-021-00811-9

Research Interests

  • Implementation Science
    2025
  • Sensory-specific peripheral stimulation for tremor management
  • Human-like robotic controllers for enhanced motor learning
  • Real-time neuromuscular control of exoskeletons
  • Wheelchair Seating and Durable Medical Equipment
    Program Evaluation & Quality Improvement Project: Standardization of Durable Medical Equipment Education and Complex Equipment Referrals for Clinicians Working in Inpatient Rehabiliation
    , 2018 - 2022

Collaborating

  • International Conference on NeuroRehabilitation (ICNR)
    ICNR spans the clinical rehabilitation, applied neurophysiology, and biomedical engineering fields to facilitate researchers and innovators discussing novel approaches, challenges, and potential solutions in technologies. (www.icneurorehab.org), 2024
  • Summer School on Neurorehabilitation (SSNR)
    SSNR provides an annual in-depth education on advanced procedures for neurorehabilitation, practical applications, innovative neuroprosthetics systems, robotic interfaces, & other combinational approaches. (www.summerschoolneurorehabilitation.org), 2022 - present
  • Fourier Intelligence
    Memorandum of Understanding partnership between Shirley Ryan AbilityLaba and Fourier Intelligence. (www.fftai.com), 2020 - present
  • GET2EXCEL
    Global Exo Technology Research, Benchmarking, and Standardization Center of Excellence coordinating world-wide efforts to promote and secure the broadest adoption of Exo Tech by Society. (www.get2excel.org), 2020 - present

Work History

  • 2025 - present
    Senior Project Coordinator
    Dr. Miriam Rafferty's Knowledge Translation: Exercise and Activity for Symptom Management (KTEAM) Lab
  • 2025 - present
    Senior Project Coordinator
    Dr. R. James Cotton's Intelligence Sensing and Rehabilitation (ISR) Lab
  • 2020 - 2025
    Project Coordinator/Senior Project Coordinator
    Dr. José L. Pons' Neurorehabilitation and Neural Engineering Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
  • 2018 - 2020
    Business Support Manager
    Wheelchair and Seating Center, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab