Fabrizio Sergi

Fabrizio Sergi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware, with joint appointments in the Biomedical Engineering Department and the Biomechanics and Movement Science Program. He leads the Human Robotics Lab and focuses on rehabilitation robotics, neural control of movements, and functional neuroimaging. Sergi holds a PhD, MS, and BS in Biomedical Engineering from Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma. His research explores robotic tools to study motor control in healthy and post-stroke individuals, with a focus on MRI-compatible robots and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

He has secured grants from NIH, NSF, and AHA, including the NSF CAREER Award (2020) and AHA Scientist Development Grant (2017). His work includes developing protocols for studying brainstem contributions to motor responses and creating exoskeletons for gait assistance. Sergi’s research bridges robotics, biomechanics, and neuroscience, aiming to improve stroke recovery and neuromotor adaptation.

His lab develops advanced technologies like Multi-Muscle Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MM-MRE) to non-invasively measure muscle forces and investigate neural substrates of motor control. He also studies adaptive control strategies for exoskeletons and the effects of torque assistance on walking mechanics.

Key achievements include pioneering MRI-compatible robotic systems and identifying neural correlates of motor recovery. Current projects focus on optimizing robotic training protocols and understanding how proprioceptive feedback influences rehabilitation outcomes.