Who am I?
As a rehabilitation scientist with Armenian roots, I was born and raised in Kuwait. My journey in the field began as a physiotherapist, earning both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physiotherapy from Charles University in Prague (2008-2013). After gaining clinical experience in the Middle East, I transitioned into research in Belgium in October 2014.
Between 2014 and 2016, I collaborated with Prof. Peter Feys (UHasselt) and Dr. Carmela Leone (Neurologist from Sicily) on cognitive-motor interference in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Concurrently, I provided communication support for the European Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis Network (RIMS). In 2017, securing funding, I initiated my own PhD with universities Hasselt-REVAL and Ghent-IPEM, under the guidance of Prof. Feys and Prof. Leman. My doctoral research explored the impact of auditory-motor coupling on cognitive and motor functions in people with multiple sclerosis.
Currently, I hold the position of an FWO postdoctoral fellow (2022-2025), extending my research to progressive multiple sclerosis and cerebellar impairments in Belgium. My research is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature, as I integrate concepts of action and perception within the realm of auditory rhythm perception and movement. Employing a diverse range of techniques, from behavioral analyses to neuroscientific methods, I aim to enrich our understanding of these complex interactions.
Additionally, I am actively involved in supervising three PhD projects focusing on auditory-motor coupling in progressive multiple sclerosis, developmental coordination disorder in children, and the use of music for group exercise in elderly patients with dementia in nursing homes.
Beyond my role in Belgium, I engage in international collaborations, working closely with researchers in Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, France, and Denmark. I serve as the co-chair of the special interest group Mobility in the European Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis (RIMS) network from 2018-2023. Since 2023, I have been an executive board member of RIMS, contributing to the advancement of rehabilitation research on a global scale.
Who am I?
As a rehabilitation scientist with Armenian roots, I was born and raised in Kuwait. My journey in the field began as a physiotherapist, earning both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physiotherapy from Charles University in Prague (2008-2013). After gaining clinical experience in the Middle East, I transitioned into research in Belgium in October 2014.
Between 2014 and 2016, I collaborated with Prof. Peter Feys (UHasselt) and Dr. Carmela Leone (Neurologist from Sicily) on cognitive-motor interference in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Concurrently, I provided communication support for the European Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis Network (RIMS). In 2017, securing funding, I initiated my own PhD with universities Hasselt-REVAL and Ghent-IPEM, under the guidance of Prof. Feys and Prof. Leman. My doctoral research explored the impact of auditory-motor coupling on cognitive and motor functions in people with multiple sclerosis.
Currently, I hold the position of an FWO postdoctoral fellow (2022-2025), extending my research to progressive multiple sclerosis and cerebellar impairments in Belgium. My research is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature, as I integrate concepts of action and perception within the realm of auditory rhythm perception and movement. Employing a diverse range of techniques, from behavioral analyses to neuroscientific methods, I aim to enrich our understanding of these complex interactions.
Additionally, I am actively involved in supervising three PhD projects focusing on auditory-motor coupling in progressive multiple sclerosis, developmental coordination disorder in children, and the use of music for group exercise in elderly patients with dementia in nursing homes.
Beyond my role in Belgium, I engage in international collaborations, working closely with researchers in Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, France, and Denmark. I serve as the co-chair of the special interest group Mobility in the European Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis (RIMS) network from 2018-2023. Since 2023, I have been an executive board member of RIMS, contributing to the advancement of rehabilitation research on a global scale.
Who am I?
As a rehabilitation scientist with Armenian roots, I was born and raised in Kuwait. My journey in the field began as a physiotherapist, earning both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physiotherapy from Charles University in Prague (2008-2013). After gaining clinical experience in the Middle East, I transitioned into research in Belgium in October 2014.
Between 2014 and 2016, I collaborated with Prof. Peter Feys (UHasselt) and Dr. Carmela Leone (Neurologist from Sicily) on cognitive-motor interference in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Concurrently, I provided communication support for the European Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis Network (RIMS). In 2017, securing funding, I initiated my own PhD with universities Hasselt-REVAL and Ghent-IPEM, under the guidance of Prof. Feys and Prof. Leman. My doctoral research explored the impact of auditory-motor coupling on cognitive and motor functions in people with multiple sclerosis.
Currently, I hold the position of an FWO postdoctoral fellow (2022-2025), extending my research to progressive multiple sclerosis and cerebellar impairments in Belgium. My research is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature, as I integrate concepts of action and perception within the realm of auditory rhythm perception and movement. Employing a diverse range of techniques, from behavioral analyses to neuroscientific methods, I aim to enrich our understanding of these complex interactions.
Additionally, I am actively involved in supervising three PhD projects focusing on auditory-motor coupling in progressive multiple sclerosis, developmental coordination disorder in children, and the use of music for group exercise in elderly patients with dementia in nursing homes.
Beyond my role in Belgium, I engage in international collaborations, working closely with researchers in Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, France, and Denmark. I serve as the co-chair of the special interest group Mobility in the European Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis (RIMS) network from 2018-2023. Since 2023, I have been an executive board member of RIMS, contributing to the advancement of rehabilitation research on a global scale.
Milestones
Below are the significant milestones that have shaped my personal and professional evolution, each serving as a testament to growth, resilience, and achievement.
Interdisciplinary Research Initiation through obtaining a doctoral grant (2016) and starting my PhD (2020)
Obtained an FWO postdoctoral fellowship (2022)
RIMS co-chair of SIG mobility (2018) and executive board member (2023)
Active grant writing and expanding team (2019, 2020 and 2022)
Methodological development of time-series analysis: neurophysiology and gait dynamics (2020, 2021 & 2023)
Partners
I cultivated a robust network with Prof. Feys at Hasselt University and Prof. Marc Leman at UGent, where I am currently affiliated.
My professional growth includes the acquisition of competences and expertise gained from collaborations with esteemed research experts. This involved immersive research stays and active engagements within networks, spanning locations such as the Cognitive Brain Research Unit at University of Helsinki, International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research at Montreal University and Music In The Brain Institute at Aarhus University. Moreover, within my current project, I am currently actively engaged in networks within Basic & Applied NeuroDynamics Laboratory at Maastricht university and Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes at AiX Marseille University.
Lastly, my collaborations extend to two crucial individual researchers: Dr. Bart Moens at UGent, where we delve into the intricacies of D-jogger technology, and Dr. Mattia Rosso, with whom I am engaged in the quantification of neural entrainment. Additionally, within the team of Prof. Feys, we foster strong partnerships with clinical centers in Belgium, particularly the national MS center in Melsbroek and the Rehabilitation Research center in Noorderhart.
Prof. Feys, Hasselt University and Prof. Marc Leman, UGent
