Chet Moritz

Chet Moritz is the Hwang Endowed Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, with joint appointments in Rehabilitation Medicine and Physiology & Biophysics. He serves as Co-Director of the Center for Neurotechnology (a former NSF Engineering Research Center) and directs the Restorative Technologies Laboratory (RTL).

Dr. Moritz completed his PhD at University of California, Berkeley in 2003, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at University of Colorado (2004) and University of Washington (2008).

His research focuses on developing neurotechnologies to restore function after brain and spinal cord injuries. The Restorative Technologies Laboratory leverages electrical and optogenetic stimulation to improve hand function, walking ability, and autonomic control in individuals with paralysis. Current research includes multi-site clinical trials of spinal stimulation for hand function restoration in spinal cord injury patients, stimulation to improve walking for children with cerebral palsy, and optogenetic approaches to guide neuroplasticity in spinal cord injury models.

Analysis of Dr. Moritz's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on translating neurotechnology from bench to bedside, with particular focus on spinal cord stimulation applications for upper and lower extremity function, development of standardized reporting frameworks for spinal cord stimulation research, and innovative approaches to measuring and improving outcomes in neurorehabilitation across multiple patient populations.

• Weill Neurohub Investigator (2020)
• Cherng Jia and Elizabeth Yun Hwang Endowed Professorship (2018)
• Allen Distinguished Investigator (2013-2018)
• DARPA Young Faculty Award (2012)
• NIH EUREKA Award recipient (2009)

Dr. Moritz mentors graduate students across multiple programs including Rehabilitation Sciences, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Neuroscience. His laboratory receives funding from diverse sources including the NSF Engineering Research Center, NIH, DARPA, and private foundations focused on spinal cord injury research.

The Restorative Technologies Laboratory collaborates extensively with the Center for Neurotechnology, Weill Neurohub, and Amplifying Movement and Performance Lab to develop and translate novel neurotechnologies for clinical application in rehabilitation settings.