Principal Investigator
B.Sc. [Kinesiology] (Western University), M.D. (Western University), Ph.D. [Integrative Physiology of Exercise] (Western University)
Clinical assistant professor, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UBC
Consultant Physiatrist, BC Centre for Complex Nerve Injuries
Research Interests
Electrical Stimulation; Electromyography; Nerve transfer; Peripheral Nervous System; physiatryDr. Berger draws inspiration for his research by observing his patients’ journey through the rehabilitation process after spinal cord injuries and peripheral nerve injuries. It is both inspiring and humbling to watch a patient experience a catastrophic and life-altering event, but then rise to the challenge of their new reality and return to a healthy, meaningful life. Dr. Berger sees his role in this process as finding ways to remove or lessen the impact of the physical, social and emotional barriers these patients encounter during rehabilitation, whether immediately after the injury or many years later. Being a clinician-scientist also offers Dr. Berger the unique opportunity to witness and share in the frustrations and setbacks of his patients, in order to generate research and evidence that will lead to improvements in rehabilitation and function.
Dr. Berger is an early career clinician-scientist in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, with sub-specialty training in electrodiagnosis and neuromuscular diseases. His research investigates the downstream effects (e.g. changes and adaptations) of neurotrauma on the peripheral nervous system, including the neuromuscular and autonomic nervous systems, using a combination of human neurophysological and imaging measurement techniques. These are the systems that are directly responsible for effective interactions with the patients’ environment. Understanding and mitigating the downstream effects of neurotrauma on these systems, will allow for more targeted and patient-specific disease-modifying and rehabilitation treatments.
Dr. Berger is currently researching the potential applications and outcomes of a surgical technique called nerve transfer, which is being used to help restore hand and arm function to patients with SCI and other nerve injuries, in conjunction with members of the BC Centre for Complex Nerve Injuries. “Results could help physicians decide which patients will benefit most from surgery, when to perform it and how best to deliver rehabilitation, in order to provide the best chance for return of arm function”, says Dr. Berger. Read more about this work on VCHRI’s interview with him.
Currently recruiting for:
Recent Collaborations
Other recent collaborations are with ICORD principal investigator Dr. Andrei Krassioukov, examining the usefulness of a bedside autonomic testing battery for measuring autonomic nervous system function after SCI. In a preliminary study, it was demonstrated that the autonomic nervous system is impacted in different ways, in different patients, using standardized clinical autonomic tests. Future collaboration will be focused on standardizing clinical autonomic nervous system measurement after SCI.
Awards
Some of Dr. Bergers’s major awards and accomplishments include:
- Health Professions-Investigator Award (Michael Smith HRBC, 2023)
Current Lab Members
| Undergraduate Students | Masters Students | Medical Students | Medical Residents | Research Staff | Administrative Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hannah Rho | Yassine El Alaoui | Margot Schmidt | Lee Bauer | Emmanuel Ogalo | Harvey Wu |
| Parham Fathinaz | Christian Franz | Mahdis Hashemi | |||
| Aiden Pye | |||||
| Heather Pudwell | |||||
| Sahil Chawla |
*graduated in the past year
Trainee Awards
| Year | Trainee | Award |
| 2023 | Hannah Rho | Top Poster Award, UBC Science Research Day |
Current Opportunities in the Lab
Dr. Berger is currently accepting trainees at the Masters, PhD, and Postdoctoral level. Please contact Dr. Berger with your CV and a short letter outlining your research interests.
Recent publications
- Berger, MJ et al.. 2023. Nerve Transfer After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Who Has a "Time Sensitive" Injury Based on Electrodiagnostic Findings?. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2023.11.003.
- Berger, MJ, Robinson, L, Krauss, EM. 2022. Lower Motor Neuron Abnormality in Chronic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Implications for Nerve Transfer Surgery.. J Neurotrauma. doi: 10.1089/neu.2020.7579.
- Chapman, KM et al.. 2021. Recommendations for Patients with Complex Nerve Injuries during the COVID-19 Pandemic.. Can J Neurol Sci. doi: 10.1017/cjn.2020.191.
- Berger, MJ et al.. 2017. Multi-Domain Assessment of Autonomic Function in Spinal Cord Injury Using a Modified Autonomic Reflex Screen.. J Neurotrauma. doi: 10.1089/neu.2016.4888.
- Ives, CT, Berger, MJ, Kimpinski, K. 2013. The autonomic reflex screen in healthy participants from Southwestern Ontario.. Can J Neurol Sci. doi: 10.1017/s0317167100016000.
