Laura McPherson, PT, DPT, PhD
Assistant Professor
SNR Lab Director and Principal Investigator
Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Neurology, Program in Neurosciences
Washington University School of Medicine
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Neurophysiology
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
DPT and PhD in Biomedical Engineering
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and McCormick School of Engineering
BE, Biomedical Engineering, Neuroscience (minor)
Vanderbilt University School of Engineering
Post-doctoral Fellows
We have positions open – come join our team!
Graduate Students
Tanner Reece, BS, MS
Tanner received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Exercise Science from the University of Kansas. For his Master’s thesis, Tanner studied the effect of specific exercise interventions on motor unit hypertrophy. He joined the lab as a PhD student in Fall 2022.
Kiera Olson, BSE, SPT
Kiera received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University, where she conducted research into the application of carbon nanostructure in water-in-oil emulsions for usage as a piezo-resistive pressure sensor in interactive wearable devices. She also ran on the cross country and track and field teams and served as teacher’s assistant for several calculus and chemical engineering classes. She started as a DPT student in the Washington University Program in Physical Therapy in Fall 2021 and received a research assistantship to conduct research while she pursues her DPT degree. She also represents the Wash U Bears on the cross-country and track teams.
Krystal Panagiotaros, BS, SPT
Krystal received her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Molecular Emphasis from Loyola University Chicago in 2022. Here she participated in research as an undergraduate student in a biology lab that focused on cartilage development in vertebrae skeleton development. While at Loyola she also dedicated time to the environmental alliance that focused on improving sustainability efforts on campus. Krystal joined Washington University’s Program in Physical Therapy Class of 2026, where she received a research assistantship so that she could continue research throughout her graduate studies.
Now recruiting!
We are recruiting PhD students through multiple degree programs:
Research Staff
Daniel Free, BS, PhD
Daniel received his Bachelor’s and Doctoral degree from Brigham Young University, both in Mechanical Engineering. His research focused on identifying which upper limb muscles were most responsible for pathological tremor through both experimental data and simulation. Following the completion of his PhD work, he accepted a position as a Staff Scientist in the SNR lab in 2024 to continue to further his research regarding the neural control of movement.
Skyler Simon, BS
Skyler received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 2020. During her undergraduate program, she ran on Wash U’s cross country and track and field teams, which led to her interfacing with Wash U’s physical therapy program as a patient. After working in engineering for a few years, she joined the SNR Lab in 2023 as a Research Assistant to pursue her burgeoning interest in studying human movement.
Abbey Painter, BS
Abbey received her Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Purdue University in 2023. During her undergraduate experience she focused on biomechanics and bioelectricity through classwork and many projects, including receiving recognition for a new detection method of Myocardial Infarctions in underrepresented patients. Abbey joined the SNR lab in 2024, with hopes to further her knowledge on biomechanics.
Undergraduate Students
Rin Iimi
Rin is an undergraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering. She swims on the WashU swim and dive team.