Nima Toosizadeh, PhDRehabilitation & Movement Sciences, Rutgers
Academic Portfolio

Nima Toosizadeh, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, Rutgers University
Nima Toosizadeh, PhD

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences at Rutgers University. I also hold a position as a Core Member of the Brain Health Institute and serve as an affiliate in the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research. In addition, I act as Secondary Faculty in the Department of Neurology at the New Jersey Medical School. My research spans biomechanical modeling, physiological measurement techniques, innovative body-worn sensor technologies, and nonlinear dynamic analysis. I apply these methods in patient-centered clinical research focused on assessing physical and cognitive frailty and improving fall rehabilitation in older adults.

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Research Projects

Lab mission: evaluating physical and cognitive frailty through the analysis of physiological alterations and dysregulation in cardiac, motor, and cognitive systems.

Upper-extremity function illustration

Upper-extremity Function (UEF)

Changing current risk-stratification and adverse health outcome prediction paradigms among older adults using novel biomechanical approaches and wearable sensor technology to objectively assess frailty, cognitive impairment, and functional capacity.

Frailty Cognitive Impairments Functional Capacity
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Patient-centered studies illustration

Treatment Evaluation (Patient-centered Studies)

Evaluating improvement in motor performance after clinical treatments and predicting potential treatment failures from initial functional measurements, spanning Parkinson's disease, degenerative facet osteoarthropathy, and peripheral artery disease.

Parkinson's Disease Facet Osteoarthropathy Peripheral Artery Disease

Fall Risk Assessment and Fall Prevention

Using vibratory stimulation and wearable sensors to validate an objective balance assessment test, understand proprioceptive feedback from ankle versus hip muscles, and develop a lower-extremity vibratory device to enhance gait and postural stability.

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Sensor-based Real-time Tracking-game (SRT)

A novel game based on tracking a flying target through ankle movements using a smartwatch on the foot and a tablet, engaging ankle proprioceptive function via open-loop reflexive and closed-loop central nervous system responses.

Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

Evaluating functional differences in the aging brain across cognitively normal, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and early-stage Alzheimer's groups using fMRI and fNIRS with machine learning for early detection.

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Heart Rate Dynamics & Frailty in Heart Disease

A sensor-based approach combined with machine learning to characterize heart behavior during a localized upper-extremity task in older adults with advanced heart disease, to predict therapy outcomes.

Motor & Cardiac Functions Deep Learning Gait Performance
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Spine anatomical illustration

Low Back Disorders (LBDs)

A time-dependent finite element model with viscoelastic properties to describe trunk load-relaxation and creep behaviors and predict changes in spine loads following trunk flexion exposures.

Load-relaxation Spine Loads Flexion Dependency

Curriculum Vitae

University campus

Biomedical engineer with a strong foundation in developing objective, sensor-based approaches to complex health challenges, with a focus on older adults' care.

$10,022,097Federal Research Grants
$694,620State Research Grants

Employment

2023 – Present
Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ
2017 – 2023
Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of ArizonaAlso Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona
2016 – 2017
Research Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Medicine & Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona
2015 – 2016
Senior Research Associate, Arizona Center on Aging, University of Arizona
2014 – 2023
Bioengineering Collaborator, Center for Healthy Aging, Banner Sun Health Research Institute
2013 – 2015
Research Associate, interdisciplinary Consortium Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), University of Arizona

Education & Training

2015 – 2023
Aging and Cognition Fellow, Healthy Brain Research Center, CDC
2013 – 2015
Biomedical Engineering Post-doctorate, iCAMP, University of ArizonaSupervisor: Bijan Najafi
2008 – 2013
Ph.D. Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia TechAdvisor: Maury A. Nussbaum
2005 – 2008
M.Sc. Biomedical Engineering (Biomechanics), Iran University of Science and TechnologyThesis: Finite Element Modeling of the Cervical Spine — Estimating Muscle Forces and Internal Loads
2001 – 2005
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)

Honors & Awards

24 honors and awards, 2009–2025
  1. 2025 — Center for Biomedical Informatics & Health Artificial Intelligence (BMIHAI) Scholar, Rutgers University
  2. 2024 — Excellence in Research Award, Outstanding Accomplishments in Research and Scholarship, The New Jersey Health Foundation, Rutgers University
  3. 2022 — Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium (AAC) Scholar Award
  4. 2022 — Excellence at the Student Interface Award, Most Supportive Faculty Member, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
  5. 2020 — Excellence at the Student Interface Award, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
  6. 2019 — BIO5 Institute Team Scholars Program Award
  7. 2018 — Acceleration for Success (AFS) Scholar Award
  8. 2018 — UA Pepper Scholar
  9. 2018 — Second Place Winner, Phil Jacobs Award, Vascular Society, 39th Annual Meeting
  10. 2017 — UA BIO5 Research Scholar
  11. 2014 — Most Creative Research Award from BME Design Day
  12. 2014 — First Place, Undergraduate Health Science UA Student Showcase
  13. 2013 — Arizona Center on Aging, Research Associate
  14. 2013 — Young Investigator Award, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), for "Aging, the Central Nervous System, and Mobility in Older Adults: Neural Mechanisms of Mobility Impairments"
  15. 2009–2011 — Outstanding Graduate Student, Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
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Refereed Journal Articles

2026
  1. Tanj J., Hu S., Cao S., Barton J., Hector M.G., Fain M.J., Toosizadeh N. Gait Analysis Using mmWave Radar: A Skeleton-Based Approach with Point Cloud Transformer. IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics, In Press.
  2. Hosseinalizadeh M., Asghari M., Ehsani H., Chaudhary A., Nikolich J., Toosizadeh N. Validity and Reliability of Smartwatch-Based Upper-Extremity Function and Heart Rate Assessment in Outpatient Older Adults. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, In Press.
  3. Akbas K., Petrillo K., Ehsani H., Toosizadeh N. Assessing Aging-related Changes of the Brain-Heart Interconnection Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Clinical Neurophysiology, In Press.
2025
  1. Hruzd M., Watson R., Hosseinalizadeh M., Akbas K., Toosizadeh N. A Novel Sensor Based Real Time Tracking Game for Assessing Ankle Proprioceptive Effects on Sensorimotor Performance. Biomedical Engineering Online, 25:9.
  2. Akbas K., Hosseinalizadeh M., Petrillo K., Rufin A.J., La Placa T., Russo M., Toosizadeh N. Heart Rate Dynamics During Localized Upper-Extremity Function as a Novel Measure of Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction. Gerontology, 71(9), 792-804.
  3. Petrillo K., Ehsani H., Akbas K., Dagar M., Toosizadeh N. Differences in Brain Function Entropy due to Cognitive Impairment. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 211, 112558.
  4. Hu S., Ackun P., Zhang X., Cao S., Barton J.K., Hector M.G., Fain M., Toosizadeh N. mmWave Radar for Sit-to-Stand Analysis: A Comparative Study with Wearables and Kinect. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 72(9), 2623-2634.
2024
  1. Hosseinalizadeh M., Asghari M., Toosizadeh N. Sensor-based Frailty Assessment Using Fitbit. Sensors 24(23), 7827.
  2. Asghari M., Elali K., Toosizadeh N. The Effect of Age on Ankle vs. Hip Proprioceptive Contribution in Balance Recovery. Biomedical Engineering Letters, 1-11.
  3. Asghari M., Ehsani H., Toosizadeh N. Frailty Identification using a Sensor-based Upper-extremity Function Test: A Deep Learning Approach. Scientific Reports, In Press.
  4. Asghari M., Rudy P., Peña M., Ruiz M., Parthasarathy S., Javed B., Toosizadeh N. A Novel Upper-extremity Sensor-based Approach to Predict COPD Adverse Outcomes in an Acute Setting. CHEST Pulmonary, 100065.
  5. Arrué P., Laksari K., Russo M., La Placa T., Smith M., Toosizadeh N. Associating Frailty and Dynamic Dysregulation between Motor and Cardiac Autonomic Systems. Frontiers in Aging, 5, 1396636.
  6. Asghari M., Elali K., Sullivan A., LaFleur B., Madigan ML., Toosizadeh N. Assessing the Role of Ankle and Hip Joint Proprioceptive Information in Balance Recovery Using Vibratory Stimulation. Heliyon, 10(4).
2023
  1. Hu S., Cao S., Toosizadeh N., Barton J., Hector M., Fain M. mmPose-FK: A Forward Kinematics Approach to Dynamic Skeletal Pose Estimation Using mmWave Radars. IEEE Sensors Journal, In Press.
  2. Hu S., Cao S., Toosizadeh N., Barton J., Hector M., Fain M., Poston P.E. A Survey on Radar-Based Fall Detection. IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, In Press.
  3. Grijalva C., Mullins V.A., Michael B.R., Hale D., Wu L., Toosizadeh N., Chilton F.H., Laksari K. Neuroimaging, Wearable Sensors, and Blood-based Biomarkers Reveal Hyperacute Changes in the Brain after Sub-concussive Impacts. Brain Multiphysics, 5, 100086.
  4. Grijalva C., Hale D., Wu L., Toosizadeh N., Laksari K. Hyper-acute Effects of Sub-concussive Soccer Headers on Brain Function and Hemodynamics. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 17, 1191284.
  5. Petrillo K., Javeh B., Toosizadeh N. Association between Dual-Task Function and Neuropsychological Testing in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment. Experimental Gerontology, In Press.
  6. Kumar D.P., Najafi B., Laksari K., Toosizadeh N. Sensor-based Assessment of Variability in Daily Physical Activity and Frailty. Gerontology, In Press.
  7. Asghari M., Peña M., Ruiz M., Johnson H., Ehsani H., Toosizadeh N. A Computational Musculoskeletal Arm Model for Assessing Muscle Dysfunction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, In Press.
2022
  1. Peña M., Petrillo K., Bosset M., Fain M., Chou YH., Rapcsak S., Toosizadeh N. Brain Function Complexity during Dual-tasking Is Associated with Cognitive Impairment and Age. Journal of Neuroimaging, 32(6), 1211-1223.
  2. Deshpande A., Elliott J., Kari N., Jiang B., Michel P., Toosizadeh N., Fahadan PT., Kidwell C., Wintermark M., Laksari K. Novel Imaging Markers for Altered Cerebrovascular Morphology in Aging, Stroke, and Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Neuroimaging, 32(5), 956-967.
  3. Toosizadeh N., Eskandari M., Ehsani H., Parvaneh S., Asghari M., Sweitzer N. Frailty Assessment Using a Novel Approach Based on Combined Motor and Cardiac Functions: A Pilot Study. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1), 1-10.
  4. Eskandari-Nojehdehi M., Parvaneh S., Ehsani H., Fain M., Toosizadeh N. Frailty Identification Using Heart Rate Dynamics: A Deep Learning Approach. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 26(7), 3409-3417.
  5. Ruberto K., Ehsani H., Parvaneh S., Mohler J., Fain M., Sweitzer N.K., Toosizadeh N. The Association between Heart Rate Behavior and Gait Performance: The Moderating Effect of Frailty. PLOS ONE, e0264013.
2021
  1. Ruiz M., Peña M., Cohen A., Ehsani H., Joseph B., Fain M., Mohler J., Toosizadeh N. Physical and Cognitive Function Assessment to Predict Postoperative Outcomes of Abdominal Surgery. Journal of Surgical Research, 267, 495-505.
  2. Asghari M., Ehsani H., Cohen A., Tax T., Mohler J., Toosizadeh N. Nonlinear Analysis of the Movement Variability Structure Can Detect Aging-Related Differences among Cognitively Healthy Individuals. Human Movement Science, 78, 102807.
  3. Grijalva C., Toosizadeh N., Sindorf J., Chou Y.H., Laksari K. Dual-task Performance Is Associated with Brain MRI Morphometry in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Journal of Neuroimaging, 31(3), 588-601.
2020
  1. Toosizadeh N., Ehsani H., Parthasarathy S., Carpenter B., Ruberto K., Mohler J., Parvaneh S. Frailty and Heart Response to Physical Activity. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 93, 104323.
  2. Follis S., Chen Z., Mishra S., Howe C.L., Toosizadeh N., Dohm M. Comparison of Wearable Sensor to Traditional Methods in Functional Outcome Measures: A Systematic Review. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 39(10), 2093-2102.
  3. Arrué P., Toosizadeh N., Babaee H., Laksari K. Low-rank Representation of Head Impact Kinematics: A Data-driven Emulator. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 8, 1049.
  4. Kumar D.P., Wendel C., Mohler J., Laksari K., Toosizadeh N. Between-day Repeatability of Sensor-based In-home Gait Assessment among Older Adults: Assessing the Effect of Frailty. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 33(6), 1529-1537.
  5. Toosizadeh N., Wahlert G., Fain M., Mohler J. The Effect of Vibratory Stimulation on the Timed-up-and-go Mobility Test: A Pilot Study for Sensory-related Fall Risk Assessment. Physiological Research, 69(4), 721-730.
  6. Kumar D.P., Toosizadeh N., Mohler J., Ehsani H., Mannier C., Laksari K. Sensor-based Characterization of Daily Walking: A New Paradigm in Pre-frailty/Frailty Assessment. BMC Geriatrics, 20, 1-11.
  7. Ehsani H., Parvaneh S., Mohler J., Wendel C., Zamrini E., O'Connor K., Toosizadeh N. Can Motor Function Uncertainty and Local Instability within Upper-Extremity Dual-Tasking Predict Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease? Computers in Biology and Medicine, 103705.
2019
  1. Taylor-Piliae R.E., Hsu C.H., Dolan H., Toosizadeh N., Mohler J. A Novel Dual-Task Balance Challenge to Prevent Falls in Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study. Journal of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, 16(1), 16.
  2. Jansen C.P., Toosizadeh N., Mohler J., Najafi B., Wendel C., Schwenk M. The Association Between Motor Capacity and Mobility Performance: Frailty as a Moderator. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, In Press.
  3. Yanquez F.J., Peterson A., Weinkauf C., Goshima K.R., Zhou W., Mohler J., Ehsani H., Toosizadeh N. Sensor-based Upper-extremity Frailty Assessment for the Vascular Surgery Risk Stratification. Journal of Surgical Research, 246, 403-410.
  4. Toosizadeh N., Ehsani H., Wendel C., Zamrini E., O'Connor K., Mohler J. Screening Older Adults for Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease Using Upper-Extremity Dual-Tasking. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 10911.
  5. Ehsani H., Mohler J., O'Connor K., Zamrini E., Tirambulo C., Toosizadeh N. The Association between Cognition and Dual-Tasking among Older Adults: The Effect of Motor Function Type and Cognition Task Difficulty. Clinical Investigation in Aging, 14, 659-669.
  6. Ehsani H., Mohler J., Golden T., Toosizadeh N. Upper-extremity Function Prospectively Predicts Adverse Discharge and All-cause COPD Readmission: A Pilot Study. International Journal of COPD, 14, 39.
2018
  1. Yen T.C., Mohler J., Dohm M., Laksari K., Najafi B., Toosizadeh N. The Effect of Pain Relief on Daily Physical Activity: In-Home Objective Physical Activity Assessment in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients after Paravertebral Spinal Block. Sensors, 18(9), 3048.
  2. Taleban S., Toosizadeh N., Junna S., Golden T., Ghazala S., Wadeea R., Tirambulo C., Mohler J. Frailty Assessment Predicts Acute Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Screening Colonoscopy. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 1-9.
  3. Mousavi-Khatir R., Talebian S., Toosizadeh N., Olyaei GR., Maroufi N. Disturbance of Neck Proprioception and Feed-forward Motor Control Following Static Neck Flexion in Healthy Young Adults. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 41, 160-167.
  4. Toosizadeh N., Ehsani H., Miramonte M., Mohler J. Proprioceptive Impairments in High Fall Risk Older Adults: The Effect of Mechanical Calf Vibration on Postural Balance. BioMedical Engineering OnLine, 17(1), 51.
  5. Toosizadeh N., Mohler J., Marlinski V. Low Intensity Vibration of Ankle Muscles Improves Balance in Elderly Persons at High Risk of Falling. PLOS ONE, 13(3): e0194720.
  6. Mousavi-Khatir R., Talebian S., Toosizadeh N., Olyaei GR., Maroufi N. The Effect of Static Neck Flexion on Mechanical and Neuromuscular Behaviors of the Cervical Spine. Journal of Biomechanics, 72, 152-158.
  7. Ehsani H., Mohler J., Marlinski V., Rashedi E., Toosizadeh N. The Influence of Mechanical Vibration on Local and Central Balance Control. Journal of Biomechanics, 71, 59-66.
2017
  1. Toosizadeh N., Wendel C., Hsu CH., Zamrini E., Mohler J. Frailty Assessment in Older Adults Using Upper-extremity Function: Index Development. BMC Geriatrics, 17(1), 117.
  2. Toosizadeh N., Berry C., Najafi B., Kraft M., Mohler J. Assessing Upper-extremity Motion: An Innovative Method to Quantify Functional Capacity in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. PLOS ONE, 12(2), e0172766.
  3. Parvaneh S., Mohler J., Toosizadeh N., Grewal G., Najafi B. Postural Transitions during Activities of Daily Living Could Identify Frailty Status. Gerontology, 63(5), 479-487.
2016
  1. Joseph B., Toosizadeh N., Jokar T.O., Heusser M.R., Mohler J., Najafi B. Upper-Extremity Function Predicts Adverse Health Outcomes among Older Adults Hospitalized for Ground-Level Falls. Gerontology, 63(4), 299-307.
  2. Toosizadeh N., Harati H., Yen TC., Fastje C., Mohler J., Najafi B., Dohm M. Paravertebral Spinal Injection for the Treatment of Patients with Degenerative Facet Osteoarthropathy. Clinical Biomechanics, 39, 100-108.
  3. Toosizadeh N., Stocker H., Thiede R., Mohler J., Mills J.L., Najafi B. Alterations in Gait Parameters with Peripheral Artery Disease: The Importance of Pre-frailty as a Confounding Variable. Vascular Medicine, 21(6), 520-527.
  4. Toosizadeh N., Najafi B., Reiman E.R., Mager R.M., Veldhuizen J.K., O'Connor K., Zamrini E., Mohler J. Upper-extremity Dual-task Function: An Innovative Method to Assess Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 8, 167.
  5. Lei H., Toosizadeh N., Schwenk M., Sherman S., Karp S., Sternberg E., Najafi B. A Pilot Clinical Trial Objectively Assessing the Efficacy of Electroacupuncture on Gait in Patients with Parkinson's Disease Using Body Worn Sensors. PLoS ONE, 11(5), e0155613.
  6. Gill S.V., Walsh M.K., Pratt J.A., Toosizadeh N., Najafi B., Travison T.G. Changes in Spatio-temporal Gait Patterns during Flat Ground Walking and Obstacle Crossing One Year after Bariatric Surgery. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 12(5), 1080-1085.
  7. Toosizadeh N., Joseph B., Heusser M.H., Jokar T.O., Mohler J., Phelan H.R., Najafi B. Assessing Upper-extremity Motion: An Innovative, Objective Method to Identify Frailty in Older Bedbound Trauma Patients. Journal of American College of Surgeons, 223(2), 240-248.
2015
  1. Mohler J., Wendel C., Taylor-Piliae R., Toosizadeh N., Najafi B. Motor Performance Predicts Prospective Falls in Frail or Pre-frail, Community-dwelling, Older Adults. Gerontology, 62(6), 654-664.
  2. Yen TC., Toosizadeh N., Howe C., Dohm M., Mohler J., Najafi B. Postural Balance Parameters as Objective Surgical Assessments in Low Back Disorders: A Systematic Review. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 32(3), 316-323.
  3. Thiede R., Toosizadeh N., Mills JL., Zaky M., Mohler J., Najafi B. Gait and Balance Assessments as Early Indicators of Frailty in Patients with Known Peripheral Artery Disease. Clinical Biomechanics, 32, 1-7.
  4. Parvaneh S., Howe C., Toosizadeh N., Honarvar B., Fain M., Najafi B., Mohler J. Regulation of Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Control across Frailty Status: A Systematic Review. Gerontology, 62(1), 3-15.
  5. Toosizadeh N., Mohler J., Armstrong D.G., Talal T.K., Najafi B. The Influence of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy on Local Postural Muscle and Central Sensory Feedback Balance Control. PLoS ONE, 10(8): e0135255.
  6. Toosizadeh N., Chuan Yen T., Howe C., Dohm M., Mohler J., Najafi B. Gait Behaviors as an Objective Surgical Outcome in Low Back Disorders: A Systematic Review. Clinical Biomechanics, 30, 528-536.
  7. Toosizadeh N., Mohler J., Lei H., Parvaneh S., Sherman S., Najafi B. Physical Performance Assessment in Parkinson's Disease: Association between Objective In-clinic, Objective In-home, and Subjective/Semi-objective Measures. PLoS ONE, 10(4): e0124763.
  8. Toosizadeh N., Mohler J., Wendel C., Najafi B. Influences of Frailty Syndrome on Open-loop and Closed-loop Postural Control Strategy. Gerontology, 61(1), 51-60.
  9. Toosizadeh N., Mohler J., Najafi B. Assessing Upper Extremity Motion: An Innovative Method to Identify Frailty. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 63(6), 1181-1186.
  10. Toosizadeh N., Lei H., Schwenk M., Sherman S.J., Sternberg E., Mohler J., Najafi B. Does Integrative Medicine Enhance Balance in Aging Adults? Proof of Concept for Benefit of Electro-acupuncture Therapy in Parkinson's Disease. Gerontology, 61(1), 3-14.
2014
  1. Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A. Trunk Tissue Creep Can Increase Spine Forces during a Subsequent Lifting Task. IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 2(2), 71-82.
2013
  1. Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A. Prolonged Trunk Flexion Can Increase Spine Loads During a Subsequent Lifting Task: An Investigation of the Effects of Trunk Flexion Duration and Angle Using a Sagittally-Symmetric, Viscoelastic Spine Model. Journal of Musculoskeletal Research, 16(4), 1350022.
  2. Toosizadeh N., Bunting M., Howel C., Mohler J., Sprinkle J., Najafi B. Motorized Mobility Scooters — The Use of Training/Intervention and Technology for Improving Driving Skills in Aging Adults. Gerontology, 60(4), 357-365.
  3. Hendershot B., Toosizadeh N., Muslim K., Madigan M.L., Nussbaum M.A. Evidence for an Exposure-Response Relationship between Trunk Flexion and Impairments in Trunk Postural Control. Journal of Biomechanics, 46(14), 2554-2557.
  4. Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A. Creep Deformation of the Human Trunk in Response to Prolonged and Repetitive Flexion: Measuring and Modeling the Effect of External Moment and Flexion Rate. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 41(6), 1150-1161.
  5. Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A. Disturbance and Recovery of Trunk Mechanical and Neuromuscular Behaviors Following Repetitive Lifting: Influences of Flexion Angle and Lift Rate on Creep-Induced Effects. Ergonomics, 56(6), 954-963.
2012
  1. Muslim K., Bazrgari B., Hendershot B., Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A., Madigan M.L. Disturbance and Recovery of Trunk Mechanical and Neuromuscular Behaviors Following Repeated Static Trunk Flexion: Influences of Duration and Duty Cycle on Creep-Induced Effects. Applied Ergonomics, 44(4), 643-651.
  2. Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A., Bazrgari B., Madigan M.L. Load-relaxation Properties of the Human Trunk in Response to Prolonged Flexion: Measuring and Modeling the Effect of Flexion Angle. PLoS ONE, 7(11): e48625.
2011
  1. Toosizadeh N., Haghpanahi M. Generating a Finite Element Model of the Cervical Spine: Estimating Muscle Forces and Internal Loads. Scientia Iranica, 18(6), 1237-1247.
  2. Bazrgari B., Hendershot B., Muslim K., Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A., Madigan M.L. Disturbance and Recovery of Trunk Mechanical and Neuromuscular Behaviors Following Prolonged Trunk Flexion: Influences of Duration and External Load on Creep-Induced Effects. Ergonomics, 54(11), 1043-1052.
  3. Hendershot B., Bazrgari B., Muslim K., Toosizadeh N., Nussbaum M.A., Madigan M.L. Disturbance and Recovery of Trunk Stiffness and Reflexive Muscle Responses Following Prolonged Trunk Flexion: Influence of Flexion Angle and Duration. Clinical Biomechanics, 26(3), 250-256.

Teaching

Team

Dedicated research assistants and collaborators.

Nima Toosizadeh

Nima Toosizadeh, PhD

Principal Investigator
nima.toosizadeh@rutgers.edu
Mehran Asghari

Mehran Asghari

Postdoctoral Scholar
Kelsi Petrillo

Kelsi Petrillo

PhD Student
Mohammad Hosseinalizadeh

Mohammad Hosseinalizadeh

PhD Student
Monica Hruzd

Monica Hruzd

PhD Student
Hossein Ehsani

Hossein Ehsani, PhD

Collaborator
Emily Peters

Emily Peters, MPH

Research Coordinator
Anke Hua

Anke Hua

Postdoctoral Scholar
Seyed Mojtaba Hosseiniraviz

Seyed Mojtaba Hosseiniraviz

PhD Student
Current Students (3)
  1. Jarod Lopez, BS (Computer Science, Rutgers)
  2. Vaishnavi Kogenaru, BS (Genetics, Rutgers)
  3. Gabriela Evora, BS (Biomedical Engineering, NJIT)
Former Postdocs (2)
  1. Kubra Akbas, PhD (Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, Rutgers), 2023–2025
  2. Hossein Ehsani, PhD (Medicine, University of Arizona), 2015–2018
Former PhD Students (3)
  1. Danya Pradeep Kumar, PhD (Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona), Graduated 2022
  2. Mehran Asghari, PhD (Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona), Graduated 2023
  3. Patricio Arrue (Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona), Graduated 2023
Former Graduate Students (14)
  1. Alexandria Rufin, MSc (Health Informatics, Rutgers)
  2. Edwin Lotero, MSc (Computer Science, Rutgers)
  3. Reena Sharma, MSc (Computer Science, Rutgers)
  4. Kyushu Jariwala, MSc (Computer Science, Rutgers)
  5. Manav Patel, MSc (Rutgers School of Graduate Studies)
  6. Parastou Esmaieli, MSc (Rutgers School of Graduate Studies)
  7. Amy Muchna (Public Health)
  8. Hannah Stocker (Public Health)
  9. Coco Victoria G. Tirambulo (Public Health)
  10. Miguel Salvador Pena (Biomedical Engineering)
  11. Rylie Watson (Biomedical Engineering)
  12. Peggy Ackun (Biomedical Engineering)
  13. Karam Elali (Biomedical Engineering)
  14. Martha Rocio Ruiz (Public Health)
Former Undergraduate Students (32)
  1. Caroline Sutherland Mills (Biomedical Engineering)
  2. Alexys Manring (Biomedical Engineering)
  3. Sarah Fakhouri (Biomedical Engineering, Arizona State University)
  4. Daniel Gaytan-Jenkins (Biomedical Engineering)
  5. Tzu-Chuan Yen (Physiology)
  6. Michelle Heusser (Biomedical Engineering — 1st place Undergraduate Health Science UA Showcase)
  7. Marco Miramontes (Biomedical Engineering)
  8. Jaimeson Veldhuizen (Biomedical Engineering — Outstanding Undergraduate 2017)
  9. Reine Mager (Biomedical Engineering)
  10. Brian Hedden (Biomedical Engineering, Arizona State University)
  11. Suhil Hiermandi (Biomedical Engineering, Arizona State University)
  12. Genevieve Wahlert (Biomedical Engineering)
  13. Ziad Hindosh (Physiology)
  14. Faysal Stipho (Physiology)
  15. Ghazal Moghaddami (Biomedical Engineering)
  16. Alexandra Phillips Sween (Physiology)
  17. Talia Sora Nagy Tax (High School)
  18. Ben Carpenter (Biomedical Engineering)
  19. Audrey Cohen (Biomedical Engineering)
  20. Kayleigh Mylelle Ruberto (Biomedical Engineering)
  21. Mark Andrew Bosset (Biomedical Engineering)
  22. Thomas Zachariah Murickan (Biomedical Engineering)
  23. Emma Katelyn Mason (Biomedical Engineering)
  24. Julia Gailene McElwee (Biomedical Engineering)
  25. Haley Renee Johnson (Biomedical Engineering)
  26. Miriam Yamileth Heras (Neuroscience & Cognitive Science, Management Information Systems)
  27. Paige Rudy (Biomedical Engineering)
  28. Alexis Sullivan (Biomedical Engineering)
  29. Isabelle O'Grady (Biomedical Engineering)
  30. Hector Flores (Biomedical Engineering)
  31. Isabellah Mayoral Ortega (Biomedical Engineering)
  32. Alex Moncada (Biomedical Engineering)

Lab Gallery

Celebrating the people behind our success.

Contact

Questions about the research, collaboration inquiries, or prospective students — reach out below.

Email
nima.toosizadeh@rutgers.edu

Department
Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences
Rutgers University, Newark, NJ

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