Lee Miller is a Professor of Physiology, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on understanding how the brain encodes movement commands through neural signals, with applications in developing brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) to restore motor function in paralyzed patients. His work integrates neuroscience, engineering, and computational methods to study neural networks in motor systems. Key research areas include decoding cortical signals to predict muscle activity, developing closed-loop BMIs, and investigating functional connectivity in neural circuits. Miller collaborates extensively with the Biomedical Engineering Department and the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN). His lab combines experimental approaches (e.g., chronic neural recordings) with computational tools to study neural dynamics and develop therapeutic technologies. Recent work emphasizes restoring hand function via cortically controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES), translating neural signals into muscle activation. His publications span neural decoding algorithms, sensory feedback systems, and the neurobiology of motor control. Miller’s contributions bridge fundamental neuroscience and clinical neuroengineering, with potential impacts on spinal cord injury rehabilitation and prosthetic control systems.
