ORIT ELION - Profile and CV

ORIT ELION - Profile and CV

Recently I have completed a post-doctoral fellowship mentored by Professor Emily Keshner at the Virtual Environment & Postural Orientation (VEPO) lab at Temple University, Philadelphia. The subject of my research is exploring the effect of a visual tracking cognitive task on stability, in young and older adults, using the CAVE Virtual Reality (VR) system. The preliminary results of this study will be presented in the ISPGR 2014 conference in Vancouver and were presented at the International Conference of Virtual Rehabilitation (ICVR) in August, 2013 in Philadelphia.

Over the last decade I have been focusing my clinical activity and research on the use of VR in learning about the balance skills of healthy adults and as an intervention tool for improving stability in individuals who have had a stroke. Thus, I was involved in the introduction of advanced VR technology (CAREN system), into the largest medical center in Israel and have both managed the clinical application of VR at this center, as well as used VR to treat patients with neurological and orthopedic lesions and impairments. In addition, during this period, I was responsible for running two major research studies in the CAREN lab (characterizing the learning processes of balance compared to those of a voluntary skill and assessing the effect of VR training on the function and mobility of post stroke adults). My experience includes running and operating advanced Virtual Reality Labs (e.g., the CAREN lab and the VEPO lab). In addition, I am part of a team that developed a tele-rehabilitation training program for improving upper extremity function in individuals who have had a stroke. Both the results from my doctoral dissertation and the stroke study have been submitted for publication and presented in international conferences, (e.g., ICVR 2008, 2009, 2013; ISPGR, 2009).

My research is based upon a very solid base of clinical experience as a senior physiotherapist, majoring in neurorehabilitation (Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Spinal Cord Injuries and diseases, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease), as well as well as orthopedic patients and amputees. My experience is both in clinical treatment, clinical supervision as well as in teaching neurorehabilitation.

Following my post doctoral fellowship, and due to my extensive professional knowledge and technical experience my aims are:

1.  To integrate my research and clinical skills in-order to further research the impact of motor skill acquisition strategies as well as balance training and performance on the rehabilitation process following central nervous system impairments.

2.  To contribute in the “human – technology interface”, both in the product development phase as well as in the implementation of the technology in-to clinical use, in the different patient populations, in-order to optimize treatment outcomes and performance.

CURRICULUM VITAE

PERSONAL

Address: 6/6 Sgula st. Phone: Home: +972-74-7011377

Jaffa, 68116 Mobile: +972-54-4688597

Israel Email:

CURRENT POSITIONS

·  The Gertner Tele-rehabilitation team, Israel

·  Post Doctoral grant, School of occupational Therapy, Haifa University, Israel

ACADEMIC

2012- 2014: Post-Doctoral fellowship, Temple University, USA

2013: PhD, Haifa University, Israel.

2005: MSc- PT. Tel Aviv University, Israel.

1999: Diploma in Neurological Physiotherapy. Tel Aviv University.

1986: BPT-Physiotherapy. Tel Aviv University.

PhD THESIS

Postural adjustments as an acquired motor skill: characterization of the learning process within a virtual environment. Supervised by Prof. Avi Karni, Brain-Behaviour Research Centre, Haifa University and Prof. Tamar (Patrice) Weiss, LIRT, Haifa University.

MSC-PT THESIS

Learning a Motor Skill in Healthy and Post-Stroke Adults: Short and Long Term Gains in the Functional Dexterity Test (FDT). Supervised by Professor Avi Karni, The Brain-Behaviour Research Centre, Haifa University and Prof. Zevi Dvir, School of Physiotherapy, Tel Aviv University.

AWARDS

2013: Best Post-Doc presentation (ICVR 2013: “Effect of a secondary task on the time course and specificity of learning a balance skill”)..

2008: Research Institute for the Health and Medical Professions, Ono Academic College.

(For research on "Postural adjustments as an acquired motor skill: characterization of the learning process within a virtual environment".

2001: Adams Super Centre for Brain Research, Tel Aviv University.

(For Research on “Motor Skill Learning of Healthy and Post Stroke Adults”).

PUBLICATIONS

·  Elion, O., Bahat, Y., Sela, I., Siev-Ner, Y., Weiss, P.L. and Karni, A. Postural adjustments as an acquired motor skill: delayed gains and robust retention after a single training session within a virtual environment. Submit in the beginning of the summer (submitted).

·  Elion, O., Bahat, Y., Sela, I., Siev-Ner, Y., Weiss, P.L. and Karni, A. The effect of deprivation of visual input on the time-course characteristics of learning a balnce task within a virtual environment. Submit towards the end of the summer (in preparation).

·  Elion, O., Bahat, Y., Sela, I., Siev-Ner, Y., Weiss, P.L. and Karni, A. The effect of a concurrent secondary task on the time course and specificity of learning a balance skill. (in preparation).

·  Elion O., Dvir Z., Sela I., Bahat Y., Novikov, I., Jachniuk F., Siev-Ner I, Tanne D., Virtual Reality (VR) training for balance impairment: a randomized controlled trial of Patients with Chronic Stroke (submitted).

·  Kizony, R., Weiss, P.L., Elion, O., Harel, S., Baum-Cohen, Krasovsky, T., Feldman, Y. and Shani, M. Development and validation of a tele-health system for stroke rehabilitation. International Journal on Disability and Human Development, (in press).

2013 Elion O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. Effect of a secondary task on the time course and specificity of learning a balance skill. Proceedings of the International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation Philadelphia, PA. USA. August 2013.

2013 Elion, O., Keshner, E.A. The effect of mental calculation on stabilization of posture in a dynamic virtual environment. Proceedings of the International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation Philadelphia, PA. USA. August 2013.

2013 Kizony, R., Weiss, P.L., Elion, O., Harel, S., Baum-Cohen, I., Feldman, Y. and Shani, M. Evaluation of a tele-health system for upper extremity stroke rehabilitation. Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation, Philadelphia, PA USA, August 2013.

2012 Weiss, P.L., Kizony, R., Elion, O., Harel, S., Baum-Cohen, I., Krasovsky, T., Feldman, Y., and Shani, M. Development and Validation of Tele-Health System for Stroke Rehabilitation. Proceedings of the International Conference on Disability, Virtual Reality and Associated Technologies, Laval, France, 2012.

2009 Elion O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. No transfer of gains after a single training session within a virtual environment to fundamental tests of stability. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation Haifa, Israel. June 2009 (136- 139.)

2008 Elion, O., Bahat, Y., Sela, I., Siev-Ner, Y., Weiss, P.L. and Karni, A. Postural adjustments as an acquired motor skill: Delayed gains and robust retention after a single training session within a virtual environment. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Virtual Reality Rehabilitation, Vancouver, Canada, August, 2008, (pp. 50-53).

2003 Elion, O., Dvir, Z., Karni, A. Motor learning in adults: a consolidation phase in learning in the functional dexterity test (FDT). 2nd world congress of the ISPRM (Ed s. Ring H. & Soroker N.), Mondzzi Editore; 661-664, 2003.

1999 Arad M., Abboud S., Radai MM., Elion O., Bar Nachum S., Zohar M., Adunsky A. Dynamic Beat-to-Beat QT-RR Relationship During Physiotherapy Effort in Elderly Patients Without Primary Heart Disease. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology. 22 (8); 1240 – 1244, 1999.

1999 Panturin E., Elion O. The Relationship between Functional Reach and the Angle of Elbow Flexion (as Part of Associated Reaction) in the Hemiplegic Person (abstract). Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 13 (1); 11, 1999

LECTURES & POSTERS IN CONFERENCES

2013 Elion O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. Effect of a secondary task on the time course and specificity of learning a balance skill. Proceedings of the International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation Philadelphia, PA. USA. August 2013.

2013 Elion, O., Keshner, E.A. The effect of mental calculation on stabilization of posture in a dynamic virtual environment. Proceedings of the International

2011 Elion, O., Bahat Y., Jachniuk F., Siev-Ner I., Tanne, D., Dvir, Z. A Virtual Reality (VR) training program improves balnce and stability in chronic stroke patients. Israel Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dec. 2011

2010 Elion, O., Bahat Y., Jachniuk F., Siev-Ner I., Tanne, D., Dvir, Z A Virtual Reality (VR) training program for ambulatory patients with mild to moderate stroke: between session gains. Israel Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dec. 2010.

2009 Elion O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. Gains after a single training session within a virtual environment are specific to the training condition. Israel Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dec. 2010.

2009 Elion O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. Learning postural adjustments in a virtual environment: evidence for a memory consolidation phase. Israel Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dec. 2009.

2009 Elion O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. No transfer of gains after a single training session within a virtual environment to fundamental tests of stability. Virtual Rehabilitation Conference, Haifa, Israel. July, 2009.

2009 Elion O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. Learning postural adjustments as a skill in the context of a volitional task: evidence for a memory consolidation phase. International Society of Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR), Bologna, Italy. June 2009.

2008 Elion. O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. Postural adjustments as an acquired motor skill: Delayed gains and robust retention after a single training session within a virtual environment. Virtual rehabilitation Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada. August 2008.

2007 Elion. O., Bahat Y., Sela I., Siev-Ner I., Weiss P.L., Karni A. Postural

Adjustments as an Acquired Motor Skill: Characterization of the Learning

Process Within a Virtual Environment (A Pilot Study). Innovations in Rehabilitation Technology Workshop, Jerusalem, Israel. Dec. 2007 (Poster Presentation).

2007 Elion, O., Tanne, D., Bahat, Y., Dvir, Z., Siev-Ner, I., Virtual reality training program for ambulatory patients with mild-to-moderate chronic gait deficits after stroke: A case study The Israel Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dec 2007.

2006 Elion, O., Maidan, I., Stoler, S., Dotan, Y., Baransi, H. Gait Analysis. The Israel Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dec. 2006.

2006 Elion, O., Bahat Y., Siev-Ner, I. Current Research and Development: The CAREN Labs. The Israel Society of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dec. 2006.

2005 Elion O., Siev-Ner I. "Virtual reality (VR) for improving motor performance". International Symposium on of Sport Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel. July 2005.

2003 Elion, O., Dvir, Z., Karni, A. Motor learning in adults: a consolidation phase in learning in the functional dexterity test (FDT). 2nd World Conference of the ISPRM, Prague, Czech Rep. May 2003 (Poster presentation).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (as a physiotherapist)

2005 - 2012 Researcher and Clinical supervisor. CAREN Virtual Reality Lab, Sheba Medical Centre, Israel.

2008- 2012 Researcher and developer, as part of the “Gertner Tele-rehabilitation development team.

2001- 2008 Teaching at the School of Physiotherapy, Tel Aviv University.

(Neurological Rehabilitation).

1999- Clinical Supervisor, Physiotherapy Dept., Sheba Medical Centre, Israel.

1986- 1999 Staff and senior physiotherapist in rehabilitation units and in acute care wards in Israel as well as abroad (Canada, Norway & Germany).

1997- current IBITA Instructor. (International Bobath Instructors and Tutors Association (Following a training process which included teaching, with supervision in Israel and abroad, courses as mentioned above, was certified as an instructor. Have been teaching courses- “Assessment & Treatment of the Neurological Patient- The Bobath Approach).

POST GRADUATE COURSES (in Physiotherapy):

*Several courses in neurological rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation, motor control, EMG application & manual therapy.