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postdoc fellow
Wayne State University
Fei Zhao graduated from Traditional Chinese Medicine University in Shanghai with her bachelor's degree, majoring in Rehabilitation (Physical Therapy direction) in 2015. After that, she went to Duquesne University at Pittsburgh to further build up her knowledge of PT and communication skills in English. She found her interest in functional limitations and underlying physiological mechanisms for older adults with diabetes, then started her dissertation study. Specifically, she created an individualized exercise program based on each participant's endurance. She oversaw every aspect of the studies, from forming research ideas, administration work, collecting and analyzing data, and finally presenting and publishing data, including muscle oxygenation and brain activation measured by the near-infrared spectroscopy technique (NIRS) and functional NIRS respectively. The experience of conducting the study also developed her technical skills, such as quickly learning devices and assessments. A unique skill she learned during this process was how to communicate with individuals with conditions such as diabetes, stroke, and hypertension. Additionally, Fei gained valuable skills related to patients’ safety, like monitoring heart rate and blood pressure and preventing falls. Her current postdoc tanning is continuing to build on the skillsets and improve the ability to comprehensively evaluate research on individuals with Spinal Cord Injury and the impact of intervention studies on health and health-related quality of life. Fei's hobbies are dancing, Chinese calligraphy, and oil pastel painting. She is also a starter of cross fit and rock climbing. Cats and dogs always bring healing time to her.