José Zariffa, Ph.D.

Toronto Rehab

Toronto, Ontario

Canada

 

E-mail:

jose.zariffa@utoronto.ca
 
 

 

 

 


Interests

 

·         Neural prostheses/neural interfaces

·         Upper limb rehabilitation

·         Rehabilitation engineering

·         Bioelectric source localization

 

 

 

Academic Employment

 

·         Sept 2011-Present: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Toronto Rehab

·         Sept 2009-Aug 2011: Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia (ICORD and Department of Computer Science)

 

 

 

Education

 

·         2005-2009: Ph.D. (joint Electrical/Biomedical Engineering), University of Toronto

·         2002-2004: M.A.Sc. (joint Electrical/Biomedical Engineering), University of Toronto

·         1998-2002: B. Eng. (Computer Engineering), McGill University

 

 

 

 

Publications

 

Journal Papers

 

·         J. Zariffa, N. Kapadia, J.L.K. Kramer, P. Taylor, M. Alizadeh-Meghrazi, V. Zivanovic, U. Albisser, R. Willms, A. Townson, A. Curt, M.R. Popovic and J.D. Steeves, "Relationship between clinical assessments and measurements from an upper-limb robotic rehabilitation device in a population with spinal cord injury", IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, in press.

·         J. Zariffa, J.D. Steeves and D.K. Pai, “Muscle tension estimation in the presence of neuromuscular impairment", Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, in press.

·         J. Zariffa, A. Curt and J.D. Steeves, “Functional motor preservation below the level of injury in subjects with AIS A spinal cord injuries”, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2011, in press (brief communication).

·         J. Zariffa, N. Kapadia, J.L.K. Kramer, P. Taylor, M. Alizadeh-Meghrazi, V. Zivanovic, R. Willms, A. Townson, A. Curt, M.R. Popovic and J.D. Steeves, "Feasibility and efficacy of upper limb robotic rehabilitation training in a sub-acute cervical SCI population", Spinal Cord, in press.

·         J.L.K. Kramer, P. Taylor, J. Haefeli, J. Blum, J. Zariffa, A. Curt and J.D. Steeves, "Test-retest reliability of contact heat evoked potentials from cervical dermatomes", Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, in press.

·         J. Zariffa, M.K. Nagai, M. Schuettler, T. Stieglitz, Z.J. Daskalakis and M.R. Popovic, "Use of an experimentally derived leadfield in the peripheral nerve pathway discrimination problem", IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 19(2):147-156, 2011.

·         J. Zariffa, J.L.K. Kramer, J.W. Fawcett, D.P. Lammertse, A.R. Blight, J. Guest, L. Jones, S. Burns, M. Schubert, M. Bolliger, A. Curt and J.D. Steeves, “Characterization of neurological recovery following traumatic sensorimotor complete thoracic spinal cord injury,” Spinal Cord, 49(3):463-471, 2011.

·         L. Vaisman, J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, "Application of singular spectrum-based changepoint analysis to EMG onset detection," Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 20:750-760, 2010.

·         J. Zariffa, M.K. Nagai, Z.J. Daskalakis and M.R. Popovic, "Influence of the number and location of recording contacts on the selectivity of a nerve cuff electrode," IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 17(5):420-427, 2009.

·         J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Localization of active pathways in peripheral nerves: a simulation study,” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 17(1):53-62, 2009.

·         J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Solution space reduction in the peripheral nerve source localization problem using forward field similarities,” Journal of Neural Engineering, 5(2):191-202, 2008.

·         J. Zariffa and B.L. Bardakjian, “Neuronal electrical rhythms described by composite mapped clock oscillators,” Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 34(1):128-41, 2006.

·         J. Zariffa, M. Ebden, and B.L. Bardakjian, “A synaptic input portal for a mapped clock oscillator model of neuronal electrical rhythmic activity,” Journal of Neural Engineering, 1(3):158-64, 2004.

 

Review Articles

·         J.D. Steeves, J. Zariffa and J.L.K. Kramer, "Are You “Tilting at Windmills” or Undertaking a Valid Clinical Trial?", Yonsei Medical Journal, 52(5):701-716, 2011.

 

Conference Papers

 

·         J. Zariffa, M.K. Nagai, M. Schuettler, T. Stieglitz, Z.J. Daskalakis and M.R. Popovic, "A framework for the discrimination of neural pathways using multi-contact nerve cuff electrodes", 33rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, August 30-September 3, 2011, Boston, MA, USA.

·         J. Zariffa and J.D. Steeves, "Computer vision-based classification of hand grip variations in neurorehabilitation", IEEE 12th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, June 29-July 1, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland.

·         J. Zariffa, N. Kapadia, J.L.K. Kramer, P. Taylor, M. Alizadeh-Meghrazi, V. Zivanovic, R. Willms, A. Townson, A. Curt, M.R. Popovic and J.D. Steeves, "Effect of a robotic rehabilitation device on upper limb function in a sub-acute cervical spinal cord injury population", IEEE 12th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, June 29-July 1, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland.

·         J.F. Tan, J. Zariffa, A. Vette, C. Lynch, K. Masani and M.R. Popovic, "Use of an inverted pendulum apparatus for the study of closed-loop FES control of the ankle joints during quiet standing," 15th Annual Conference of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society, September 8-12, 2010, Vienna, Austria.

·         J. Zariffa, M.K. Nagai, Z.J. Daskalakis and M.R. Popovic, "Bioelectric Source Localization in the Rat Sciatic Nerve: Initial Assessment Using an Idealized Nerve Model," World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, September 7-12, 2009, Munich, Germany.

·         J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Application of EEG source localization algorithms to the monitoring of active pathways in peripheral nerves,” 30th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, August 20-24, 2008, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

·         J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Decomposition of multi-contact nerve cuff signals into velocity-specific components,” 31st Annual Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Conference, June 11-13, 2008, Montreal, QC, Canada.

·         N. Tsolas, J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Rapid Automated Finite Element Modeling of Peripheral Nerves,” 3rd Annual Canadian Student Conference on Biomedical Computing, March 13-15, 2008, Toronto, ON, Canada.

·         J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Finite element mesh reduction guidelines for the inverse problem of source localization in peripheral nerves,” 30th Annual Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Conference, June 16-19, 2007, Toronto, ON, Canada [Third place winner in the Student Paper Competition].

 

Conference Abstracts

 

·         L. Vaisman, J. Zariffa, K. Masani and M.R. Popovic, "Application of singular spectrum-based change-point analysis to EMG onset detection", 18th Congress of the International Society of Electrophysiology & Kinesiology, June 16-19, 2010, Aalborg, Denmark.

·         J. Zariffa, J.L.K. Kramer, P. Taylor, N. Kapadia, R. Willms, A. Townson, M.R. Popovic and J.D. Steeves, "Use of a virtual-reality upper-limb robotic rehabilitation device after cervical spinal cord injury," American Spinal Injury Association Annual Meeting, May 25-28, 2010, Nashville, TN, USA [Nominated in Best Poster Competition].

·         J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Dimensionality reduction of a bioelectric source localization problem using forward field similarities”, Neural Interfaces Conference, June 16-18, 2008, Cleveland, OH, USA.

·         J. Zariffa and B.L. Bardakjian, “Topology and complexity in coupled mapped clock oscillators representing CA3 neural network”, 2004 Annual Fall Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society, October 13-16, 2004, Philadelphia, PA, USA [Presented by Dr. Bardakjian].

 

Invited Talks

 

·         “Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robotics in Sub-Acute Spinal Cord Injury”, Toronto Rehab, October 27, 2011, Toronto, ON, Canada.

·         “Use of the Armeo®Spring in Sub-Acute Cervical SCI: First Insights”, International Neurorehabilitation Symposium, June 27-29, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland.

·         “Engineering the neural interface: Restoration of function after neurological injury”, University of Toronto, April 29, 2011, Toronto, ON, Canada.

·         “Engineering systems to restore function after neurological injury”, Simon Fraser University, June 2, 2010, Burnaby, BC, Canada.

·         "Virtual reality assisted robots for activity dependent upper extremity rehabilitation," American Spinal Injury Association Annual Meeting, May 25-28, 2010, Nashville, TN, USA.

·         "Influence of the number and location of recording contacts on nerve cuff selectivity," World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, September 7-12, 2009, Munich, Germany.

·         "Exploring a New Approach to Peripheral Nerve Interfaces", ICORD, Vancouver, BC, Canada, April 3, 2009.

 

Selected Non-Refereed Contributions

·         J. Zariffa, N. Kapadia, J.L.K. Kramer, P. Taylor, M. Alizadeh-Meghrazi, V. Zivanovic, R. Willms, A. Townson, A. Curt, M.R. Popovic and J.D. Steeves, "Upper limb robotic rehabilitation training in a sub-acute cervical SCI population: A pilot study", ICORD Annual Research Meeting, 2011, Vancouver, BC, Canada [Winner (tied) of the Gordon Hiebert Prize for best post-doctoral poster].

·         J. Zariffa and M.R. Popovic, “Localizing active pathways in peripheral nerves”, Toronto Rehab Research Day, 2007, Toronto, ON, Canada [Named best poster by a PhD student].

 

 

 

 

Awards

 

·         Canadian Paraplegic Association of Ontario Post-Doctoral Fellowship (held at Toronto Rehab since September 2011).

·         ICORD Travel Award (2011).

·         Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Graduate Scholarship Prize (Activity Team), 2008.

·         Ontario Graduate Scholarship, held at the University of Toronto, 2008-2009.

·         Walter C. Sumner Fellowship, held at the University of Toronto, 2007-2009.

·         NSERC PGS D3 Award, held at the University of Toronto, 2005-2008.

·         Graduate studies grant from the “Fonds de recherche sur la nature et les technologies” (Québec provincial agency), held at the University of Toronto, 2002-2004.

·         McConnell entrance scholarship, held at McGill University, 1998-2002.

 

 

 

 

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