Johanne Higgins

Johanne Higgins is a Full Professor in the Occupational Therapy program at the School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal. She is actively affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Rehabilitation (CRIR) of Metropolitan Montreal and the University Institute for Rehabilitation in Physical Disabilities of the CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, where she conducts cutting-edge research in neurorehabilitation and assistive technologies.

• B.Sc. in Occupational Therapy, Laval University (1995)
• M.Sc. in Rehabilitation Science, McGill University (1998)
• Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science, McGill University (2008)
• Postdoctoral Training, Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University (2009)

Her research focuses on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying upper limb recovery after stroke, chronic pain in older adults, and the development of innovative rehabilitation tools such as robotic gloves and bimanual exercisers. She utilizes non-invasive brain stimulation techniques like transcranial direct current stimulation and integrates virtual environments and telerehabilitation with exergames to enhance patient engagement and outcomes. Her work emphasizes user-centered design and statistical validation of assessment tools.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward interdisciplinary rehabilitation research, combining engineering, neuroscience, and clinical practice. Her work spans robotic and virtual rehabilitation, telerehabilitation, sensory feedback integration, and outcome measure development, with a consistent focus on stroke recovery and upper limb function. She is deeply involved in translating research into practical, patient-centered technologies.

Johanne Higgins has not been explicitly mentioned as receiving scientific awards in the provided text.

She is actively involved in supervising research and mentoring students, though specific names are not listed. Her research is supported by ongoing projects involving transcranial stimulation, robotic devices, and telerehabilitation systems, indicating active grant funding and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. She contributes to the advancement of rehabilitation science through methodological rigor and innovation in assessment and intervention.

Johanne Higgins conducts her research within the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Rehabilitation (CRIR), a leading hub for rehabilitation innovation in Montreal. Her work involves collaboration with engineers, clinicians, and scientists to develop and validate rehabilitation technologies. Her lab focuses on integrating robotics, virtual reality, and non-invasive brain stimulation to optimize hand and upper limb recovery in stroke survivors.