Welcome to Margherita Razzoli
Margherita Razzoli began her doctoral studies at the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory (RELab) in January 2023. Her research focuses on the mechatronics development of the RELab tenoexo, a wearable robotic hand exoskeleton, and its clinical evaluation in post-stroke rehabilitation, in combination with other techniques such as non-invasive electrical stimulation.
Born and raised in Prato, Italy, Margherita obtained her B.Sc. magna cum laude in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University in May 2020. In 2018, she spent 6 months on exchange at the University of Sydney, Australia. During her Bachelor studies, she conducted research in various fields, firstly in vision impairment after stroke (external page Brain and Vision Research Laboratory, Boston University), then in biodegradable synthetic polymers for tissue engineering (Vincent Gomes’ Group, University of Sydney), and in cardiovascular tissue biomechanics (external page Multi-Scale Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory, Boston University).
She earned her M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering (Bioelectronics) at ETH Zürich in September 2022. During her M.Sc. studies, she conducted research at the Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics where she investigated the viability of different DRG-to-Schwann cell ratios in mixed spheroids for establishing an in-vitro myelinated nerve model. Furthermore, at the Neuroengineering Laboratory, she developed single and multi-channel stimulation paradigms for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to restore sensory feedback in the foot. During her Master thesis, joint between RELab and the Neuroengineering Laboratory, she developed a wearable, textile arm sleeve embedded with flexible, textile electrodes delivering TENS to restore sensory feedback and functional electrical stimulation (FES) to enhance motor function in the hand. The e-sleeve was paired with the RELab tenoexo and tested in a feasibility study with stroke and spinal cord injury participants.
Margherita is passionate about rehabilitation robotics, mechatronics, neuroengineering and electrical stimulation for sensory and motor restoration after neurological impairment.