Staff

Elizabeth R. Felix, Ph.D.

Program Director
Research Profile | Publications

Dr. Felix is the Project Director for the South Florida Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SF SCIMS). She is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and is a Research Health Scientist at the Miami VA Healthcare System. She is the principal investigator for the study, “Randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial of early-intervention TENS for the reduction of the prevalence and severity of chronic neuropathic pain during the first year after spinal cord injury,” and for the SCIMS multi-site module study, “Impact of neuropathic and nociceptive pain after SCI.”

She obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has published over 65 peer-reviewed articles and has served as a reviewer for numerous scientific journals and grant review panels. Her research expertise is in the psychophysical assessment of somatosensory function, which includes the performance and interpretation of quantitative sensory testing (QST) in clinical pain populations, and the psychometric assessment of these methods. Her research focuses on the measurement of pain, outcomes associated with chronic pain, and predictors of the development and severity of chronic SCI pain and neuropathic-like chronic eye pain.

Mark S. Nash, Ph.D., FACSM

Co-Director
Research Profile | Publications

Mark S. Nash, Ph.D., FACSM, serves as the Co-Director for the South Florida Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SF SCIMS) and is principal investigator for the SCIMS multi-site module project, “Stakeholder Perceptions and Clinical Assessment of Cardiometabolic Disease/Syndrome after Spinal Cord Injury.”  He is a tenured Professor of Neurological Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He serves as the Associate Scientific Director of Rehabilitation Research for the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Dr. Nash is a longstanding Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, has published more than 140 peer-reviewed manuscripts, scholarly monographs, and chapters, and has co-authored the leading textbook on Spinal Cord Medicine.

Dr. Nash has received multiple grant awards from the U.S. Department of Defense, NIDILRR, and the Craig H. Nielsen Foundation, which have primarily examined causes for, and interventions on cardiometabolic disease after SCI. His work has been presented in 250 national/international lectures and invited talks, including 25 keynote addresses at National and International Conferences. He has been a grant reviewer for the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Nash sits on the Research Advisory Boards of 5 medical foundations and advises federal and foundation grant agencies in four foreign countries. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Spinal Injury Association

Dr. Nash chaired the Cardiometabolic Clinical Guideline Panel for the U.S. Paralyzed Veterans Association Consortium on Spinal Cord Medicine, which developed the inaugural evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Cardio endocrine disease after SCI. He received the 2012 David Apple, MD Award for excellence in research publishing, and in 2018 was awarded the prestigious John Stanley Coulter Award by the American Congress of Rehabilitation, which recognizes lifetime achievements in rehabilitation.

Kevin L. Dalal, M.D.

Clinical Profile | Research Profile | Publications

Dr. Dalal is currently Medical Director of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and serves as Assistant Professor for The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Tufts Medical Center and his SCI Medicine fellowship at the JMH/UM and joined the faculty of the University of Miami in 2008. Dr. Dalal’s clinical responsibilities include consultation for all spinal cord injured patients admitted through the Ryder Trauma Center for initiation of preventive rehabilitation and Medical Director at JMH for SCI rehabilitation of patients. He also provides long-term community follow-up and health maintenance through his outpatient clinics.

Robert W. Irwin, M.D

Clinical Profile | Research Profile | Publications

Robert W. Irwin, M.D. is Professor and Vice Chair of Operations for the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Irwin is site principal investigator for the Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SCIMS) module study, “Equity and Quality in Assistive Technology for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury 2.0 (EQuATe)” (lead site: University of Pittsburgh)

Dr. Irwin is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain medicine, sports medicine and electrodiagnostic medicine. His research interests are in ultrasound medicine, sports and spine, and medical education. In addition to his clinical practice and research, Dr. Irwin has been very active in medical education, especially the musculoskeletal training that is his specialty, and in guiding and mentoring students and residents.

Doug Johnson-Greene, Ph.D., MPH, ABPP

Research Profile | Publications

Dr. Johnson-Greene is a neuropsychologist who has been practicing for over 25 years in academic medical centers. In his role as the research psychologist for the South Florida SCIMS, he serves to address the psychological health and well-being of individuals enrolled in our SCI Model System.

He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Mississippi in 1993. He completed his internship at the Portland VA & Oregon Health Sciences University (1992-1993), and a residency in neuropsychology and neuroimaging at the University of Michigan (1993-1996). He earned his master’s in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 2006. He joined the faculty at the University of Miami School of Medicine in 2009.  He is currently a tenured Professor, Director of Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology, and Associate Vice-Chairman of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the University of Miami - Miller School of Medicine. He holds the ABPP Diplomate in the areas of Clinical Psychology, Rehabilitation Psychology, and Clinical Neuropsychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). He is a fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, and Divisions 12, 22, 40, and 50 of the American Psychological Association. 

In addition to his clinical practice, he has a long-standing commitment to training and has trained over 100 medical and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty during his career. He has received grant funding from NIH, DOD, and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDLRR). He has over 110 scholarly research publications on a wide range of topics. He previously served as the Director and Principal Investigator for the South Florida Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (SF-TBIMS) one of 16 TBI Model System programs. He has served in numerous professional leadership roles over the past 20 years for grant review panels, professional journals, and national organizations such as the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, the Society of Clinical Neuropsychology. He is the Past President of the Society of Clinical Neuropsychology (SCN). He serves on the editorial boards of several journals including the Rehabilitation Psychologist, The Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, and The Clinical Neuropsychologist. His clinical interests include the assessment and treatment of traumatic brain injury, substance abuse in persons who are disabled, and professional and ethical issues in clinical practice.

Jose Vives-Alvarado, M.D.

Dr. Jose R. Vives-Alvarado joined the faculty of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PM&R) as an Assistant Professor in 2021. After earning his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, he completed his PM&R residency at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Center program. In 2021, he completed his fellowship in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System. He provides inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care for persons with traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries.

Matthew DeVlieger, M.S.

Matthew DeVlieger is the Research Data Manager for the South Florida Spinal Cord Injury Model System (SF SCIMS). He graduated from Calvin University with a degree in Biology and the University of San Diego with a Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics. He oversees database management for the SCI Model System and assists with other research studies relating to spinal cord injury.

Patricia Graham, M.S.

Patricia Graham is a Clinical Research Manager at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis (MP).  Her role is to ensure that research complies with regulations and to facilitate the initiation and conduct of new studies.  She is responsible for all regulatory matters, including new submissions, modifications, and annual reviews, and serves as the point of contact for all regulatory matters.  In addition, she assists the principal investigator(s) and other team members in developing protocols, timelines, and processes for the studies. She contributes to the ongoing analysis, execution, and modification of the projects when required.

Patricia Graham has extensive clinical research experience working with many diverse research populations.  She has been at the University of Miami for over 13 years, during which she has worked in various different clinical research roles and capacities.  She received her M.S. in Exercise Science and Health Promotion and has a B.S. in Dietetics and Nutrition.  She is a certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC); a licensed Basic X-ray Machine Operator with DXA training in Hologic and GE Lunar machines; has training in the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) Multiple-Pass Methodology, Spirometry/Pulmonary Function testing, and is a certified Sweat-test operator.

Michelle Rojas B.S, B.A

Michelle Rojas joined the South Florida SCIMS team in October 2020 as a research assistant. She graduated from Florida International University in August 2020 with a degree in Biology and a degree in Natural and Applied Sciences. Ms. Rojas assists with data collection for the National SCI Model System Database, as well as for other research studies conducted by the South Florida SCIMS.

Dinorah Rodriguez, R.N.

Dinorah Rodriguez is clinical research nurse having coordinated a wide range of clinical trials over the past 24 years at the University of Miami in the areas of movement disorders, oncology, urology and orthopedic trauma. She has a thorough understanding of the IRB and regulatory processes, federal regulations, GCP guidelines, screening and recruitment, delivery of patient care and patient education. She has been part of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation since 2019 and is the study coordinator for the Spinal Cord Injury Exercise and Nutrition Conceptual Engagement (SCIENCE) study.