
Dr Michael Lee
PhD (Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales)
Master of Physiotherapy (University of Queensland)
Master of Chiropractic (Macquarie University)
Bachelor of Science (Anatomy & Physiology) (University of New South Wales)
I am an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Health and the Physiotherapy Program Lead & Program Authority in School of Health Sciences. At UNSW, I currently lead the design, development and implementation of the new physiotherapy program, and coordinates the physiotherapy program accreditation processes. I have significant experience in leadership, management and curriculum development and has an established track record in physiotherapy program accreditation, having previously established two new physiotherapy programs in Victoria (Bachelor of Physiotherapy at Federation University in 2020) and New South Wales (Master of Physiotherapy at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in 2016). I was the inaugural Discipline Lead in Physiotherapy at Federation University prior to moving to UNSW in late 2021.
My research focusses on the use of technology in neurorehabilitation and currently collaborates with two technology companies (Tech Gym and AI-Exo) to develop novel robotic systems to improve rehabilitation outcomes for people with neurological disorders, including stroke and spinal cord injury.聽I am a member of the Council of Physiotherapy Deans, Australian and New Zealand (CPDANZ) and the Section Editor for the Brain Imaging and Stimulation (BIS) Journal.
Having completed a PhD (2009) investigating the mechanisms underlying neural adaptation induced by resistance training, I was awarded a prestigious and highly competitive 3-year research fellowship from the NSW Office of Medical Research (2011-2014, Spinal Cord Injury and Related Neurological Conditions Research Grants Program; $298,735) to undertake post-doctoral research training in clinical neurology under Professor Matthew Kiernan at the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney. I have聽developed research expertise in a wide range of neurophysiological techniques including non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), electromyography (EMG), nerve excitability techniques, electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). These skills allows me to interrogate pathophysiological processes underlying neurological diseases and musculoskeletal disorders including chronic pain. I am an AHPRA registered Physiotherapist and Chiropractor with over 25 years of clinical experience.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
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2024听听听听听听听听听UNSW Education Focused Grant ($3000.00)
2023听听听听听听听听听UNSW School of Health Sciences, Research Travel Grant ($1250.00)
2022听听听听听听听听听UNSW Medicine & Health Seed Grant, School of Health Sciences. 鈥淎dding a spring in your step: can the 鈥淪uper Shoe reduce muscle fatigue in running?鈥. McDonald K, Nahan K, Broderick C, Lee M and Heroux M ($9570.88).
2021听听听听听听听听听听Industry PhD scholarship (Federation University and Tech Gym) ($114,388)
2020听听听听听听听听听听School of Health Research Equipment Funds. School of Health, Federation University. ($6230.00).
2020听听听听听听听听听听Consultancy fee for Gippsland Community Health Hub and Clinic Project Control Group ($9022.00). Latrobe Valley Authority.
2019 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽Spinal Cure Research Grant. 鈥Robot-assisted game-based rehabilitation program for upper limb function in people with spinal cord injuries: A feasibility study鈥. Quel de Oliveira C, Stubbs PW, McCambridge A, Lee M and Verhagen AP. ($20,000).
2018聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽UTS Blue Sky Research Scheme, Faculty of Engineering & IT. 鈥Upper limb stroke rehabilitation using electromyography functional connectivity analysis鈥. Su S, Carmichael M, Tipper J, Duffield R & Lee M. ($17,000)
2018聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽UTS Blue Sky Research Scheme, Faculty of Engineering & IT. 鈥淐ollaborative robots for versatile and affordable therapy in the clinic and the home鈥. Carmichael M, Lee M, Paul G and Aldini S. ($24,000)
2017聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽UTS Blue Sky Research Scheme, Faculty of Engineering & IT. 鈥淜inetics and physiology of human motion in stroke rehabilitation鈥. Su S, Carmichael M, Chai R, Duffield R and Lee M. ($15,000)
2017聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽UTS Blue Sky Research Scheme, Faculty of Engineering & IT, UTS.聽 鈥淣ext Generation of Miniaturized Wearable Millimeter-Wave Scanners for Instant Health Care Check鈥. Yang Y, Zhu F, Lee M and Dutkiewic E. ($18,000)
2016听听听听听听听听听听听听Graduate School of Health, New Staff Research fund ($10,000)
2016聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Grant-in-aid, Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia, 鈥淒issecting the mechanisms underlying muscle fatigue in ALS using acute and cumulative resistance exercise鈥. Lee M (Chief Investigator). ($98,758.50)
2016聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 International Cooperation - FAPESB/Brazil. 鈥Knee Osteoarthritis: Effects of adding neuromodulation to exercises on pain, function and cortical representation of the quadriceps鈥. Baptista A and Lee M (*USD $56,150.00)
2015聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Nina Buscombe Award. Motor Neuron Disease Victoria ($3000)
2015聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽The Peter Chandra Motor Neuron Disease Research Gift Grant, The Brain & Mind Centre, University of Sydney. Philanthropy grant. ($45,000).
2012-2014聽 聽 聽 Spinal Cord Injury and Related Neurological Conditions Research Grants Program, NSW Office for Medical Research. Lee M (Chief Investigator). ($298,735.00)
2012聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Bill Gole Motor Neuron Disease Postdoctoral Fellowship, Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia. 鈥Mechanisms underlying exercise-induced neuroprotection in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)鈥 Lee M (Chief Investigator). ($225,000).
2011聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Brain Foundation. 鈥淯tilising plasticity to drive functional recovery after spinal cord injury鈥. Lee M (Chief Investigator). ($44,000)
2010 听听听听听听听听听听听听Hamblin New Zealand Chiropractic Research Trust Fund. Haavik H and Lee M ($10,000)
2007听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽UNSW Faculty of Medicine Post-graduate travel grant ($2000)
2004听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽Australian Research Council PhD Scholarship ($72,000)
2020听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽聽聽 Techcelerator, Most Technically Feasible Prototype Award for the project titled: 鈥淎I-based Exoskeleton for Upper Limb Rehabilitation鈥, by Guo K, Wang L and Palayil J; Supervised by Su S and Lee M.
2015听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽 Nina Buscombe Award. Motor Neuron Disease Victoria
2015听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽 Distinction in Scholarship in the Journal of Neurophysiology, The American Physiological Society
2015听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽 Travel scholarship, Taipei Medical University.
2012-2014 聽聽聽聽聽聽 Applied Spinal Cord Injury Research Fellow, NSW Office for Medical Research.
2004-2008 聽聽聽聽聽聽 Australian Research Council (ARC) Human Motor Control PhD Scholarship, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
2007听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽 University of New South Wales Postgraduate Travel Grant聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
2006听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽 Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research Travel Grant, Otago University
2005听听听听听听听听听听听听聽聽聽聽 Australian Neuroscience Society Travel Grant
My Teaching
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Neurological Physiotherapy, Neurorehabilitation, Professional Practice, Neurophysiology, Inter-professional Education, Clinical Neurology