David Putrino

David trained and worked as a physical therapist in Australia, before completing his PhD in the neurophysiology of motor control and moving to the United States to study computational neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and MIT. From there, moved to New York to develop ‘bleeding-edge’ brain computer interface technology at NYU funded by the Department of Defense. He has served as a faculty member at Weill-Cornell Medicine and Burke Medical Research Institute working to develop innovative rehabilitation solutions for people recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury.

He is currently the Director of Innovation and an Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt Sinai. Here, he runs a space called the Abilities Research Center, which is a hybrid research lab and clinic that develops and rapidly deploys innovative technologies that help people across every level of human performance realize their full potential. From exoskeletal robotics to brain stimulation technologies, David strives to find the right technology to help every single person who comes to the Abilities Research Center. He has pioneered the use of many technologies in the field and the clinic including various uses of motion capture, virtual and augmented reality, wearable technology, and implantable technology. In addition to his clinical and basic science research, he leads or consults on high-performance research with partners at Red Bull High Performance, the NBA, MLB, and the English Premier League. He is also the “Chief Mad Scientist” of Not Impossible Labs, a group that rapidly develops disruptive technological solutions for high-impact humanitarian problems.