The integration of research with clinical care and clinician perspectives is central to the work being done at Jefferson Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute. Our faculty collaborate with clinicians spanning a wide range of specialties to make important advances in research in the fields of neuroscience and neurorehabilitation. We’re pleased to spotlight our clinical colleague Eric L. Stulberg, MD, MPH, a board-certified neurologist working in the Human Motor Recovery Laboratory directed by Dylan Edwards, PhD. In this interview, he shares more about his career, his clinical and research interests, and his current role at the Institute.
Can you tell us more about your academic and clinical background?
I am a clinical neurologist with subspecialty training in vascular and stroke neurology. In my clinical practice, I care for individuals with stroke and other neurovascular conditions across the full continuum of care: from emergency departments and intensive care units to inpatient hospital wards and long-term outpatient follow-up. I also continue to see patients with a broad range of neurologic conditions, with a particular interest in cognitive impairment and dementia. This allows me to maintain a holistic view of brain health and recovery.
My academic training reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary and population-based thinking. I completed medical school at Northwestern University, neurology residency at the University of Utah, and fellowship training in vascular neurology at the University of Pennsylvania. In parallel, I earned a master’s degree in quantitative epidemiology from the University of Michigan, where I developed rigorous methodological expertise in population health research. Together, these experiences have shaped my dual professional identity as a clinician and investigator focused on improving outcomes for individuals and populations affected by stroke.
What made you want to get involved in research?
My interest in research began during my undergraduate training as a social science major, where I developed an early appreciation for systems-level thinking. That background led me to ask questions not only about individual patients, but also about how health care is delivered, accessed, and used across populations. I carried this perspective into medical school, where I worked closely with an epidemiologist focused on cardiovascular health. There, I was introduced to the creativity and impact of clinical and population-based research.
Subsequent formal training in epidemiology at the University of Michigan provided me with the tools to rigorously answer questions that emerged from the bedside. Since becoming a fully practicing clinician, my motivation to pursue research has only deepened. Many neurologic conditions, such as stroke, still lack effective, scalable interventions to promote recovery. Research offers a powerful avenue to bridge this gap and to generate evidence that can improve care not just for individual patients, but for large numbers of people facing similar challenges.
Can you share details about the research you are working on at the Institute and your role?
At Jefferson Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, I work closely with Dr. Dylan Edwards to develop scalable strategies to improve access to and management of post-stroke rehabilitation. Rehabilitation remains one of the few interventions proven to enhance recovery and quality of life after stroke, yet there is substantial variability in how and when patients receive rehabilitation services. Many stroke survivors encounter barriers to rehabilitation during the critical early weeks after discharge from acute hospitalization, when the brain’s capacity for recovery is greatest.
Our work focuses on identifying individuals who are at risk for suboptimal rehabilitation during transitions from hospital to home, and on integrating telerehabilitation as a potential strategy to address gaps in care. By aligning clinical insight with innovative rehabilitation delivery models, our goal is to improve functional recovery, quality of life, and community reintegration for stroke survivors. My role bridges clinical neurology, epidemiology, and rehabilitation science, allowing me to help translate real-world clinical challenges into testable, patient-centered research questions.
How does your clinical experience guide your approach to research, and how does your research experience shape how you engage with patients in the clinic?
Advances in hyperacute stroke treatments have dramatically improved survival and outcomes, and the field continues to evolve rapidly. However, many stroke survivors still experience persistent physical, cognitive, or functional limitations. Seeing these challenges firsthand in the clinic motivates my research focus on recovery and long-term quality of life. When I care for patients after stroke, I am keenly aware of how limited our current recovery-focused interventions can be, which reinforces my commitment to developing new, evidence-based strategies to reduce long-term disability.
At the same time, being actively engaged in stroke recovery research enhances how I care for patients. I am able to connect individuals with emerging clinical studies, share realistic optimism grounded in scientific progress, and emphasize that recovery remains possible even in the chronic phases of stroke. My research perspective also helps me empower patients to take an active role in their rehabilitation and to persist with activities that challenge them most, reinforcing the idea that recovery is an ongoing process.
Can you tell us more about the impact or potential impact of your work?
I hope my work contributes to ensuring that all stroke survivors receive adequate, timely rehabilitation, particularly during the vulnerable transition from acute hospitalization to home. By improving access to rehabilitation and optimizing its delivery, my research aims to enhance recovery trajectories, support reintegration into daily life, and ultimately improve long-term outcomes for individuals living with the effects of stroke.
What has it been like working with the team at the Institute?
Working at Jefferson Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute has been an exceptionally positive experience. The Institute brings together investigators from diverse backgrounds, including rehabilitation scientists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, neuropsychologists, and others, all united by a shared commitment to improving quality of life. This collaborative, multidisciplinary environment is both inspiring and essential for producing impactful, patient-centered science.
What is something that you have learned or hope to learn in your role at the Institute?
In my role at the Institute, I am eager to continue learning about emerging innovations in stroke recovery, the design and conduct of rehabilitation-focused clinical trials, and best practices for working within multidisciplinary research teams. I am particularly interested in understanding how to move promising interventions through the translational pipeline and into routine clinical care, where they can have the greatest impact.
What are your long-term career goals?
Long-term, my goal is to develop and rigorously evaluate new approaches that improve recovery and quality of life for survivors of stroke. Through a career that integrates clinical care, research, and collaboration, I hope to contribute meaningfully to advancing stroke recovery science and translating those advances into everyday clinical practice.