Sukhvinder Kalsi-Ryan

Dr. Kalsi-Ryan is an Affiliate Scientist in the field of upper limb assessment and recovery and spine pathology at KITE-UHN, Lyndhurst Centre and is also Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, Department of Physical Therapy. Her research is oriented to establishing methods to quantify neurological change after injury and studying neuro-restorative methods to enhance and optimize function for those with neurological impairment. Her role at KITE consists of being the Clinic/Scientific Lead of the Rocket Family Upper Extremity Clinic. Within this platform she has created her lab, called the Upper Extremity Neuro-Restorative and Innovations Lab. Her role is to build a strong research foundation that will propel the clinic, while enhancing access to care for patients with SCI, and implementing new innovations and technologies. Dr. Kalsi-Ryan provides academic teaching within the Neurosurgical Resident training and Physical Therapy programs at the University of Toronto. She is the founder of her own company, which manufactures the GRASSP; she acts as a consultant for neurological trials worldwide.

Recent Publications

1. Prasad S, Aguirre-Padilla DH, Poon YY, Kalsi-Ryan S, Lozano AM, Fasano A. Spinal Cord Stimulation for AdvancedParkinson’s Disease: A 1-year Prospective Trial. Movement Disorders (Submitted).
2. Kalsi-Ryan S, Wang JZ, Abel R, Bolliger M, Curt A, Fehlings MG, Jin D, Verrier M, Velstra IM. Minimal Clinically Important Difference of GRASSP Version 1 in Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Submitted).
3. Kalsi-Ryan S, Clout J, Rostami P, Massicotte EM, Fehlings MG. Duration of symptoms in the quantification of upper limb disability and impairment for individuals with mild degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). PLOS One (Revisions submitted).
4. Kalsi-Ryan S, Reihm L, Teoderascu F, Massicotte EM, Fehlings MG. Characteristics of Upper Limb Impairment Related to Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Development of a Sensitive Hand Assessment (GRASSP Version Myelopathy). Neurosurgery (Revisions Submitted).
5. Kalsi-Ryan S, Chan C, Verrier M, Curt A, Fehlings M, Bolliger M, Velstra IM, GRASSP Cross Sectional Study Team, GRASSP Longitudinal Study Team. The Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensibility, and Prehension Version 2 (GV2): Psychometric Properties. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine 2019 (Accepted).

Honours & Awards

• Mar 2019 - Feb 2026 | Defining the Natural History and Predictors of Disease Progression in Mild Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Longitudinal Multi-Centre Prospective Cohort Study - Canadian Institutes of Health Research ($703,979 Awarded) 
• Jul 2019 - Jul 2022 | Point-of-Care Prediction of Muscle Responsiveness to Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy During Neurorehabilitation - Wings for Life, (€200,000 Awarded)
• Jul 2019 - Dec 2020 | Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation to Improve Hand-Arm Function after spinal cord injury: A Pilot Study - Canadian Spinal Research Organization, Carl Hennum Fellowship ($42,000.00 Awarded)