Maria completed her BSc in Biology in 2015 and her MSc in Neuroscience in 2017 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH). After spending a year as a Teaching and Research Assistant at ETH, she started her PhD in Professor Stuart Baker’s lab at Newcastle University. Her PhD is focuses on improving grasp after spinal cord injury via a wearable electronic device. Maria speaks four languages.
Maria Germann, PhD student
"Thanks to the Nathalie Rose Barr award, I am able to further my education and start a career in scientific research, learning directly from experts in the field of spinal cord injury and brain stimulation."
Why neuroscience research in spinal cord injury is important to Maria
“The neural control of movement is an incredibly complex system that allows us to move effortlessly and without much thought. Due to its complexity, recovery from any sort of nerve damage remains slow and unpredictable. More research will lead to a better understanding of our motor system, which will allow us to better assist patients in their recovery and improve their quality of life. It is very inspiring and rewarding to work on something that has the potential to help many people, no matter how small the individual contribution may be.”