معرفی
Deborah Gaebler-Spira, MD, is Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She is affiliated with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and she is a member of the Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences and the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS).
Education
- MD, University of Illinois, Chicago (1979)
- Residency in Pediatrics, University of Chicago Hospitals (1982)
- Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University/McGaw Medical Center – Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (1985)
Research Focus
Dr. Gaebler-Spira’s scholarly work centers on advancing the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral palsy. She integrates robotics and outcome-driven interventions to improve functional abilities in children with neuromotor disorders. Emphasis is placed on early identification of cerebral palsy, allowing for timely rehabilitative strategies that can alter long-term trajectories.
Clinical Practice
Her clinical expertise encompasses comprehensive management of cerebral palsy and spasticity, employing evidence-based pharmacologic and rehabilitative approaches. She directs multidisciplinary teams that tailor care plans to individual developmental needs.
Scientific Honors & Awards
- Expert in Cerebral Palsy Award, Expertscape (2021)
- Distinguished Career, Paige Award Road 2 et4rnity (2021)
- Gabriella Molnar-Swaffort Pediatric PM&R Lifetime Achievement Award, AAPMR Foundation (2020)
- Lifetime Achievement Award, AACPDM (2018)
- Pathways Pioneer Award, Pathways.org (2013)
- Goldensen Award for Technology, United Cerebral Palsy (2005)
Leadership, Editorial & Advisory Roles
- Chair, Scientific Advisory Board, Cerebral Palsy Foundation (2020–Present)
- Co-Editor, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2020–Present)
- Associate Editor, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2019–Present)
- Editorial Board Member, Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (2016–Present)
- Editor, Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation (2005–Present)
- President, AACPDM (2009–2010)
- Member, National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2021–2023)
Laboratories & Teams
Dr. Gaebler-Spira collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s state-of-the-art motion analysis and robotics laboratories, driving translational research from device development to clinical implementation.
