Dr. Christopher A. Johnson is a postdoctoral researcher at the ImpossibleTo Possible Lab within the Rancho Research Institute, working under the mentorship of Dr. V. Reggie Edgerton. His research investigates the mechanisms of sensorimotor coordination, proprioceptive integration, and neuromodulation in walking to improve recovery after neurological injury. By combining robotic devices, quantitative neurophysiological measures, and transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS), Dr. Johnson aims to uncover how sensory feedback and spinal circuitry contribute to locomotor control and functional recovery.

He earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, Irvine, where he worked in the Biorobotics Laboratory under Dr. David J. Reinkensmeyer. His doctoral research focused on developing and validating robotic devices to precisely measure and train ankle proprioception, revealing novel insights into how proprioceptive deficits influence gait recovery after stroke. This work contributed to a growing understanding of proprioception as a dynamic, multidimensional process rather than a unitary sensory skill.

Dr. Johnson’s overarching goal is to create mechanism-based rehabilitation strategies that use robotics and neuromodulation to restore naturalistic movement patterns in people with stroke, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy. His current projects explore how robotic-assisted training and spinal neuromodulation can be integrated to facilitate voluntary movement, enhance sensory feedback, and promote neural plasticity. Through this work, he seeks to bridge engineering innovation with translational neuroscience to develop the next generation of technologies for neurological recovery.