Research Lab

• Sensorimotor Processing and Rehabilitation Engineering lab

Professional Interests

• Sensorimotor Integration and Motor Control
• Development of Sensory Processing in Children
• Dyspraxia and Developmental Delays
• Pediatric Sensorimotor Evaluation and Assessments
• Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology

Education

• 2014: MS in Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL
• 2009: PhD in Bioengineering, Stanford University, CA
• 2007: MS in Bioengineering, Stanford University, CA
• 2005: BASc in Engineering Science (Major: Biomedical Engineering) University of Toronto, ON

Certifications and Licensure

• Virginia Department of Health Professions, Licensed Occupational Therapist, #0119007155
• Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Licensed Occupational Therapist, #056.010751
• College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario, Registered Occupational Therapist, #G1509754
• National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy, Inc., #333382

 Selected Publications

• Chu, V. W. T. (2020) Pilot study to measure deficits in proprioception in children with somatodyspraxia. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74.
• Chu V.W.T., Hornby T. G., Schmit B.D. (2018) Stepping responses to treadmill perturbations vary with severity of motor deficits in human SCI. Journal of Neurophysiology, 120(2):497-508.
• Chu, V.W.  (2017). Assessing proprioception in children: A review. Journal of Motor Behavior.
• Chu, V.W., Park, S.W., Sanger, T.D. & Sternad D. (2016). IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 24(8), 847-858.
• Chu, V.W., Hornby, T.G. & Schmit, B.D. (2015). Perception of Lower Extremity Loads in Stroke Survivors. Clinical Neurophysiology, 126(2), 372-381.
• Chu, V.W., Sanger TD. (2014) Two different motor learning mechanisms contribute to learning reaching movements in a rotated visual environment. F1000Research, 3:72.
• Chu, V.W., Hornby, T.G. & Schmit, B.D. (2014). The effect of antispastic agents on motor reflexes and voluntary muscle contraction in incomplete spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 95(4), 622-632.
• Chu, V.W., Sternad, D. & Sanger, T.D. (2013).  Journal of Neurophysiology 109, 2169-2178.
• Chu, W.T., Sanger TD. (2009) Force variability during isometric biceps contraction in children with secondary dystonia due to cerebral palsy. Movement Disorders. 24(9), 1299-1305.

 Selected Published Abstracts

• Chu, V. & Ivey, C. (April, 2021). Developing an online platform for structured case clinical simulation to foster clinical competency and evaluation clinical reasoning. American Occupational Therapy Association Inspire 2021.
• Ruggiero, S., Inamdar, K., Chu, V. (April, 2021). Activity Trackers - Moving beyond step counting. American Occupational Therapy Association Inspire 2021.
• Anderson, L., Weeks, L., Molinini, R., Lee, J., Rahimian, K., White, T., Miller, M., Chu, V. (April, 2021). Using custom crayons to measure force perception and proprioception in young children: A feasibility study. American Occupational Therapy Association Inspire 2021.
• Rawat, T., Pruyn Bouley, H., Chu, V. (April, 2021). Promoting play during a global health crisis. American Occupational Therapy Association Inspire 2021.
• Amin, N., Davis, S., Chu, V. (April, 2021) The effect of proprioception on motor development. American Occupational Therapy Association Inspire 2021.
• Chu, V.W., Girolami, G.L., Soangra, R., Beuttler, R., Hollandsworth, C., Chheda, S., Grant-Beuttler, M. (October, 2019). Children with idiopathic toe walking showed differences in areas of tactile and vestibular processing. (Program No. 764.04). Peer reviewed poster presentation at Neuroscience 2019, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
• Molinini, R., Anderson, L., Lee, J., Rahimian, K., Dusing, S., Chu, V. (October, 2019). Feasibility of a protocol measuring force perception in young children using a play-based assessment in the natural environment. (Program No. 582.09). Peer reviewed poster presentation at Neuroscience 2019, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
• Chu, V.W., Gentry, T., Laverdure, P., Simons, D. (April, 2019) Understanding the Neuroscience and Treatment of Pain Across the Lifespan. Presented at 2019 American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
• Chu, V.W., Lee, J, Rahimian, K, Anderson, L. (October, 2018). Evaluation and Intervention of Toe Walking in Children. Presented at 2018 Virginia Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, Wintergreen, VA.
• Chu, V.W. (November, 2017). Characterization of sensory function associated with idiopathic toe walking in children (Program No. 064.12). Peer reviewed poster presentation at Neuroscience 2017, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington D.C.
• Chu VW, Bodison S. “Deficits in proprioception measured in children with somatodyspraxia,” American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference 2016, Chicago, IL, April 2016.
• Chu VW, Krishnan K. “Measuring proprioception and spatial-motor coordination in children with somatodyspraxia,” Program No. 805.23. 2015 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Chicago, IL: Society for Neuroscience, 2015. Online.
• Chu VW, Park SW, Sanger TD, Sternad D. “Dystonic Children can learn: improving sensorimotor performance with solutions that are tolerant to variability”, Neural Control of Movement Annual Conference 2015, Charleston, SC, April 2015.
• Chu VW, Hornby TG, Schmit BD. “Perception of lower extremity loads in stroke survivors,” Program No. 749.29. 2013 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2013. Online.
• Chu VW, Hornby TG, Schmit BD. “Evidence for central and sensory drive in human stepping”, Translational and Computational Motor Control, New Orleans, LA. October 12, 2012.
• Chu VW, Hornby TG, Schmit BD. “Contributions of reflexes to muscle activities and gait patterns during treadmill walking” Program No. 587.21. 2011 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2011. Online.
• Chu, VW, Hornby TG, Schmit, BD. “Body Weight Supported Treadmill Walking may Decrease Stability.” Neural Control of Movement Annual Conference 2011, San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 2011.
• Chu VW, Sanger, TD. “The role of variability in motor learning”, Program No. 702.10. 2009 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Chicago, IL: Society for Neuroscience, 2009. Online.
• Chu WV, Sternad D, Sanger TD. “The role of noise on motor learning in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.” Program No. 276.12. 2008 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, 2008. Online.
• Chu WTV, Sternad D, Sanger TD. “Strategy to minimize motor performance errors in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy.” BMES Annual Fall Meeting, Poster presentation, Oct 2008.

Grants

• PI (January 2021 – December 2021). Remote tracking of tummy time in term and preterm infants in real world settings using wearable sensors: A validation study. Center for Smart Use of Technology to Assess Real-world Outcomes Pilot Grant. $25,000
• PI (May 2020 – November 2021). Development of Proprioceptive Assessments for Early Childhood. VCU Center for Clinical and Translational Research Endowment Fund. $50,000
• PI (July 2017 -December 2018). Characterization of sensory function associated with idiopathic toe walking in children. VCU Presidential Research Quest Fund. $50,000
• PI (August 2011 – July 2013). Sensory Integration and Motor Control in Walking after Stroke. American Heart Association. $90,772