Kailynn Mannella, PhD

Kailynn received her BA and MSc in Kinesiology, and PhD in Health Biosciences at Brock University. Her doctoral research focused on the effects of cross-education following upper limb robotic rehabilitation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Sensorimotor Neuroplasticity Research Lab (SYNAPSE) of Milap Sandhu, PT, PhD at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Northwestern University. Her research focuses on understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying motor dysfunction and recovery in people with MS using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electromyography (EMG), acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH), and behavioral assessments. Her current work also examines how fluctuations in female sex hormones across the menstrual cycle, as well as post-menopausal hormonal changes, influence neural excitability, motor function and rehabilitation outcomes to advance personalized rehabilitation strategies for women living with MS.