Research Area and Outputs
Professor Farina’s research broadly focuses on the study of the neural control of movement, and on the design and clinical translation of technologies for replacing, restoring, or neuro-modulating impaired motor functions. He has contributed to several fields in neurorehabilitation, most notably the area of active prostheses (e.g., Science Translational Medicine 8;6(257):257ps12,2014), with strong clinical translation (e.g., The Lancet, 385(9983):2183-9,2015; Sci Rep (Nature) 2016;6:34960; IEEE TNSRE 23(5):827-36, 2015), and has pioneered bioelectrodes and signal processing methods for human-machine interfacing of motor neurons in vivo that are now adopted by research groups worldwide (IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, 1:115-120,2015; Proc IEEE, 104:353-373 2016; Nature Biomed Eng, 10.1038/s41551-016-0025, 2017; IEEE TNSRE 18(3):221-9, 2010). His research is strongly interdisciplinary and has been published in Journals across the disciplines of physiology, neurosciences, clinical sciences, and engineering, with >400 authored peer-reviewed journal papers that have had a high impact (e.g., a total of >18,000 citations to his papers). He has also been the Editor of the IEEE/Wiley books “Introduction to Neural Engineering for Motor Rehabilitation” and “Surface Electromyography: physiology, engineering and applications”.
Representative recent publications:
- D. Farina, I. Vujaklija, M. Sartori, T. Kapelner, F. Negro, N. Jiang, K. Bergmeister, A. Andalib, J. Principe, and O. C. Aszmann, “Man/machine interface based on the discharge timings of spinal motor neurons after targeted muscle reinnervation,” Nat. Biomed. Eng., vol. 1, no. 2, Feb. 2017.
- O. C. Aszmann, I. Vujaklija, A. D. Roche, S. Salminger, M. Herceg, A. Sturma, L. A. Hruby, A. Pittermann, C. Hofer, S. Amsuess, and D. Farina, “Elective amputation and bionic substitution restore functional hand use after critical soft tissue injuries,” Sci. Rep. (Nature), vol. 6, p. 34960, Oct. 2016.
- D. Farina, A. Holobar, “Characterization of human motor units from surface EMG decomposition”, Proc IEEE, vol. 104, pp. 353-373 2016
- O.C. Aszmann, A.D. Roche, S. Salminger, T. Paternostro-Sluga, M. Herceg, A. Sturma, C. Hofer, D. Farina, “Bionic Reconstruction Restores Hand Function after Brachial Plexus Injury”, The Lancet, vol. 385(9983), pp. 2183-9, 2015
- D. Czesnik, J. Howells, F. Negro, M. Wagenknecht, S. Hanner, D. Farina, D. Burke, W. Paulus, “Increased HCN channel driven inward rectification in benign cramp fasciculation syndrome”, Brain, vol. 138, pp. 3168-79, 2015
- J.A. Gallego, J.L. Dideriksen, A. Holobar, J. Ibáñez, V. Glaser, J.P. Romero, J. Benito-León, J.L. Pons, E. Rocon, D. Farina, „The Phase Difference Between Neural Drives to Antagonist Muscles in Essential Tremor Is Associated with the Relative Strength of Supraspinal and Afferent Input. J. Neurosci., vol. 35, pp. 8925-37, 2015
- C.M. Laine, E. Martinez-Valdes, D. Falla, F. Mayer, D. Farina, “Motor Neuron Pools of Synergistic Thigh Muscles Share Most of Their Synaptic Input”, J Neurosci. vol. 35, pp. 12207-16, 2015
- D. Farina, O. Aszmann, “Bionic Limbs: Clinical Reality and Academic Promises. Sci Transl Med. 8;6(257):257ps12, 2014