Libak Abou

Libak Abou is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan's Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a Center Member at the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. His work focuses on enhancing functional independence and quality of life for individuals with neurologic disabilities through evidence-based rehabilitation strategies.

• Education: PhD in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2022), MPT in Physical Therapy (Santa Catarina State University, Brazil, 2017), and PT in Health Rehabilitation (University of Medical Sciences of Cienfuegos, Cuba, 2014).
• Research Interests: Neurorehabilitation, postural control, fall prevention using emerging technologies, and symptom management in multiple sclerosis (MS) and spinal cord injury (SCI).

Recent Article Trends: His publications span MS fatigue reduction via exercise, dual-task fall prediction models, cardiovascular benefits of physical activity in MS, and innovative balance/wheelchair assessment tools. Emerging themes include wearable sensors for functional mobility and nociplastic pain in MS.

Scientific Awards
• Elite Reviewer (American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, 2022-2023)
• Laura J. Huelster Scholarship (2021-2022)
• Carol L. Chittenden Fellow (2020-2022)
• UIUC Teachers Ranked as Excellent (2020)

Grants: NIH-funded research on cognitive function in MS, MICHR grant on nociplastic pain outcomes, and multiple trainee grants for fall prediction studies in MS/SCI.