Academically, Dr. Cederna has a very active research enterprise directing the Neuromuscular Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan. He has a broad background in muscle and nerve physiology, with specific training and expertise in these research areas. As a postdoctoral research fellow at University of Michigan, he carried out a series of experiments to understand the mechanisms of muscle force deficits following peripheral nerve injury and repair. He studied the mechanisms of axonal sprouting, elongation, and muscle reinnervation at the whole muscle, single motor unit, and single muscle fiber levels. At the University of Michigan, he joined the faculty of the Section of Plastic Surgery where he continued to build on his previous work and expanded his studies to evaluate alternative mechanisms of peripheral nerve reconstruction to provide optimal recovery of function following peripheral nerve injuries. These studies extended into evaluation of alternative peripheral nerve constructs and peripheral nerve allotransplantation. Over the past 20 years, he has focused his professional expertise and scholarly pursuits on building a research program that has focused on three distinct areas; muscle dysfunction following reinnervation, peripheral nerve reconstruction, and development of peripheral nerve interfaces for the control of upper extremity prosthesis. Based upon this work, Dr. Cederna has received over $24,000,000 in direct research funding, authored over 180 scientific manuscripts, published 24 book chapters, presented his work over 600 times at national and international meetings, has been asked to give over 500 extramural presentations, and has been a Visiting Professor at over 30 academic institutions. He has mentored 60 students, 40 research fellows, and 15 postdoctoral fellows from various backgrounds including biomedical engineering and physiology. He has received over 65 national research awards either as first author or mentor of the research work.
