Timothy D. Faw

Timothy D. Faw, DPT, PT, PhD, serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a secondary appointment in Neurobiology. His dual expertise as a board-certified neurologic physical therapist and neuroscientist drives translational research targeting spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and stroke recovery through neuroplasticity mechanisms.

His academic credentials include:

• BS in Exercise Science, Pfeiffer University (2005)
• DPT, Duke University (2009)
• Certificate in Neurologic Physical Therapy, University of Southern California (2010)
• PhD in Neuroscience, The Ohio State University (2019)
• Postdoctoral Research, Duke University (2024)

Dr. Faw's research integrates cellular/molecular neuroscience with rehabilitation science to investigate CNS damage responses and therapeutic strategies for functional recovery. His work emphasizes white matter plasticity, myelin repair, and locomotor retraining using clinically relevant rodent models, with behavioral outcomes directly translatable to human rehabilitation protocols. Current projects examine eccentric rehabilitation paradigms, neuroprotective peptides, and inflammatory modulation post-injury.

Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on spinal cord injury mechanisms (75% of recent work), with growing emphasis on traumatic brain injury modeling and stroke therapeutics. Key trends include translational biomarker development (e.g., MRI correlates of recovery) and combinatorial therapies pairing rehabilitation with molecular interventions to enhance plasticity.

His scientific recognition includes:

• NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein F31 Predoctoral Award (2016)
• Foundation for Physical Therapy Promotion of Doctoral Studies Scholarships (Levels I/II, 2014-2017)
• Specialization Academy of Content Experts Induction (2015)
• Multiple International Symposium on Neural Regeneration Travel Awards (2015, 2017)
• Ohio State University Research Day Award (2016)

Supported by NIH and Foundation for Physical Therapy grants, Dr. Faw directs a multidisciplinary lab examining cellular responses to CNS injury using genetic, imaging, and behavioral approaches. His MSTF building facilities (rooms 6-22, 6-23, 6-34B) enable parallel rodent-human studies, with active collaborations across neurosurgery, radiology, and rehabilitation departments. Professional engagement includes APTA (2006-present), American Spinal Injury Association (2024-present), and Society for Neuroscience (2014-present).