People

Sook-Lei Liew is an Associate Professor and Director of the Neural Plasticity and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory at the University of Southern California. She has joint appointments in the divisions of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience, and Neurology, is a member of the USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute. She is the Chair of the ENIGMA Stroke Recovery Working Group, which aims to meta-analyze high-resolution brain imaging and behavioral outcomes in individuals after stroke from thousands of patients collected across more than 40 research cohorts from 10 countries worldwide. She also is a co-Director and co-founder of the USC SMART-VR (SensoriMotor Assessment and Rehabilitation Training) Center (smartvr.usc.edu).

After she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Kinesiology and English from Rice University in 2006, she went on to receive a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy (2008) and a PhD in Occupational Science, with a Concentration in Neuroscience (2012), both from USC. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in neurorehabilitation and has been a visiting scholar at Peking University, the University of Tübingen, and Johns Hopkins University. 

The goal of Dr. Liew’s research is to understand mechanisms of neural plasticity in healthy individuals and individuals after neurological injury that support a person’s ability to learn new skills and recover from brain injury. Her laboratory has championed novel big data approaches to study brain imaging and behavior to understand how people recover after stroke, as well as neuromodulatory techniques and technologies such as noninvasive brain stimulation, brain computer interfaces and virtual reality to promote learning and enhance plasticity and rehabilitation after brain injury. She has over 40 peer-reviewed publications and given over 120 invited talks and conference presentations. Her work has received over $4.5 million in funding from agencies such as the NIH, National Science Foundation, US Army, and American Heart Association, has received the SXSW Special Jury Award for the Innovative Use of Virtual Reality Technology in the Field of Health, and has been featured in press outlets such as Forbes, CNET, and PC Magazine.

Octavio Marin Pardo is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. He received his PhD and MS Degrees in Biomedical Engineering from USC in 2023 and 2019, respectively. He received his BS degree in Mechatronics Engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 2017. His research focuses on using non-invasive neuroimaging methods (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography) and rehabilitation technology (e.g., human-computer interfaces, virtual reality) to understand motor recovery after stroke.

Stuti Chakraborty is a PhD student in the Occupational Science program at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Christian Medical College, Vellore, India in 2020. She worked as a clinical OT in the neurorehabilitation of patients with acute stroke and head injury.

Mahir Khan is a PhD student in the USC Neuroscience Graduate Program. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Neuroscience from the University of Rochester and Masters Degree in Physiology from Georgetown University.

Amisha Kumar is a Neuroscience undergraduate student at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Ashley Catchpole is an entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctoral student at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University.

Ning-Yun (Anya) Chang is Post-Professional Master’s of Occupational Therapy student at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

Rebecca Isip is a third-year Occupational Therapy Doctorate (E-OTD) student at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, expected to graduate in May 2026. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 2023.

Jace is a 3rd year student in USC Chan Entry-Level Doctorate of Occupational Therapy degree program.

Justin Lee an entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctoral student at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

Sri Vaishnavi Arza is a Student Worker at the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California.

Dr. Nishimura is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California.

Masters in Education Athletic Administration and Student Affairs.
Bachelors in Exercise Science Education.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work.
IHSS caregiver.

Lucy Hosoda is the Director of Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy at Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, and has clinical experience in a multitude of settings including acute rehabilitation units, acute care, outpatient neurorehabilitation, and home health.

Dr. Hernandez Moore serves as an instructor for core Entry-Level OTD courses including Adult Rehab, Assistive Technology, and Neurocognition. Dr. Hernandez Moore is certified in Physical Agent Modalities and has a special interest in the neurological patient population throughout the continuum of care. Additionally, Dr. Hernandez Moore serves as the Associate Director of the Healthtech Makerspace where she works on 3D printing adaptive equipment for patients at Keck Medical Center of USC.

Yadira is a former graphic designer and current USC Occupational Therapy Doctorate student completing her level II fieldwork and doctoral capstone with the Keck 3D Printing Team. She has clinical experience in neurological, surgical, medical, and oncological intensive care units, as well as in home care as a pediatric IHSS provider. Yadira is driven to advance occupational therapy through innovative technology and is committed to supporting individuals in maximizing independence, participation, and quality of life.

Joan is a third-year occupational therapy student at USC, completing her Level 2B fieldwork and doctoral capstone experience with the Keck 3D Printing Team. Her work with the team focuses on knowledge mobilization among clinicians, as well as providing outreach to design and print 3D assistive devices for patients at USC Arcadia. She has had clinical experience in inpatient acute rehabilitation and neuropsychiatric hospitals, as well as outpatient hand therapy and community care settings.