Dr. Vishwanath Sankarasubramanian is a well-known investigator in the field of neuromodulation for pain management. An Engineer by background, Dr. Sankarasubramanian obtained his Masters’ degree (MSc) from the Aachen University of Technology (in Aachen, Germany), and a Doctorate (PhD) from the University of Twente (in Enschede, Netherlands). He then completed his postdoctoral training at Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University (both in Cleveland, United States). Dr. Sankarasubramanian has authored numerous publications in various national and international journals, and is also an active peer-reviewer for several reputed journals. His research interests include neuromodulation for pain, stroke, and spinal cord injury. Dr. Sankarasubramanian currently works as a Research Fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Vishwanath Sankarasubramanian his current research interests investigating mechanisms of action of clinical neuromodulation therapies, such as SCS and DRGS for chronic pain management. SCS and DRGS are frequently used to treat patients with chronic pain conditions (e.g., failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome) refractory to conventional treatments (e.g., pharmacological therapies, surgery), but have shown only limited success rates (~50% of patients receive 50% reduction in pain). The limited success rates of SCS and DRGS are largely because we do not understand their therapeutic mechanisms of action. My current research attempts to characterize mechanisms of action of these therapies (SCS and DRGS) by conducting mechanistic human studies. Dr. Sankarasubramanian’s other research interests include investigating how neuromodulation may improve the functional recovery of individuals with stroke or spinal cord injury.