A conference for everyone working with or interested in neurotechnology, rehabilitation, therapy and research

Laura is a specialist Neurological Occupational Therapist with 15 years of experience, over 12 years of which is in the neurological sector. Laura has worked in the NHS from acute care through to community rehabilitation and outpatients and now works in the private sector where she is the lead Occupational Therapist for Hobbs Intensive outpatient rehabilitation service, coordinating intensive rehabilitation packages and treating patients with complex neurological requirements.

Her role within Hobbs has evolved and she has split clinical and research responsibilities. She is part of the MiNT Academy Development Team who have delivered an innovative neurotechnology platform combining clinical education and product development. Her role also involves leading on research projects and further collaborations. Laura has expert clinical skills used to implement neuro assistive and rehabilitation technology into functional contexts building the links between the companies and the patients. Laura presented at Virtual RehabWeek 2021 and is excited to be presenting at RehabWeek 2022 in Rotterdam, showcasing the merits and application of collaboration between skilled clinicians and engineers to create a device that has longevity with both clinicians and patients alike.

Outside of Hobbs Laura enjoys a busy family life, hiking, roller skating and painting.

Lizzie is a Specialist Neurological Physiotherapist working at Hobbs Rehabilitation since May 2020. She also has a background in orthopaedics, frailty and inpatient rehabilitation. Lizzie jumped at the opportunity to be involved in The MiNT Academy to combine her interest in technology and love for providing high quality rehabilitation for patients. Lizzie brings the perspective of a physiotherapist who routinely utilises neurotechnology with patients as well as teaching and supporting other clinicians in embedding it into practice.

Dr Louise Johnson is a clinical-academic physiotherapist. Clinically, she leads the multidisciplinary therapy team at University Hospitals Dorset, which has one of the largest stroke services in England, and was the first NHS stroke service to implement electromechanical gait training. Louise is an experienced and active rehabilitation researcher, and currently holds an NIHS Senior Clinical Practitioner Research Award. Her research interests include motor relearning, technology, implementation and personalised care. She is also co-lead for a global health partnership, working to improve stroke care delivery in Ghana, Gambia and Zambia.

Mark McIntosh is a highly experienced physiotherapist and case manager with thirteen years of expertise in both the NHS and private healthcare sectors. Based at our Intensive Neurotherapy Centre, he leads our Amputee and Trauma service, specialising in spinal cord injuries, amputee rehabilitation, complex neurology, adaptive sports, and traumatic brain injury recovery. Mark’s extensive background in active sports and amputee rehabilitation will greatly enhance the services offered at Chedington.

Mark’s passion for adaptive sports led him to establish New Zealand’s first funded adaptive sports service. He enjoys ultra-running, tennis, squash, skiing, and scuba diving. He volunteers as a blind running guide, adaptive sports instructor, and search and rescue member.

Dr Niall McCann is a National Geographic Explorer, broadcaster, and a global authority on conservation, whose anti-poaching work has been credited with saving populations of endangered species from extinction.He the Executive Director of National Park Rescue, co-Chair of the global EarthTeam Alliance, Trustee or Ambassador to multiple Charities, and is an award-winning wildlife TV presenter.

Outside of work, Niall is an avid outdoor enthusiast and member of his local Mountain Rescue Team. He is also a world-record breaking endurance athlete who overcame a life-changing spinal cord injury to return to a life of adventure and exploration.

Everything Mark Pollock does is about inspiring leaders and their teams to build resilience and collaborate with others so that they achieve more than they thought possible. Unbroken by blindness in 1998, Mark became an adventure athlete competing in ultra-endurance races across deserts, mountains, and the polar ice caps including being the first blind person to race to the South Pole. He also won silver and bronze medals for rowing at the Commonwealth Games and set up an international motivational speaking business.

In 2010, a fall from a second story window nearly killed him. Mark broke his back and the damage to his spinal cord left him paralysed. Now he is on a new expedition, this time exploring the intersection where humans and technology collide to cure paralysis in our lifetime.Chairman of Collaborative Cures and founder of the global running series Run in the Dark, Mark was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, served on the Global Futures Council on Human Enhancement and the Advisory Board of Cybathlon. He is a Wings for Life Ambassador (Europe) and was on the Board of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (USA) for a decade.

Author of ‘Making It Happen’, Mark is the subject of the acclaimed documentaries' Blind Man Walking ’and ‘Unbreakable – The Mark Pollock Story’. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and also from Queens University Belfast. Furthermore, he holds a diploma in Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century from Harvard University, degrees from Trinity College Dublin and UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School.

Dr Amit N. Pujari is an award winning Biomedical Engineer and a Neuroscientist and is currently an Associate Professor (Reader) in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire. Amit’s team is primarily working on developing rehabilitation and assistive technologies (neurotechnologies) to bring sensorimotor improvements in people living with neurological disordersspecifically Stroke, Spinal Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s etc. Amit is recipient of multiple prestigious research and travelling fellowships and his work is funded by grants from EPSRC, NIHR, GCRF/Academy of Medical Sciences and Royal Academy of Engineering. Amit has recently been recognised as one of the 25 emerging leaders in UK Health research by the Academy of Medical Sciences and was earlier elected to the membership of the ‘UK Young Academy’ supported by the Royal Society along with UK and Irish senior academies. Amit holds MSc and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from University of Strathclyde and Aberdeen respectively and has masters in Professional Innovation Management of Medical Devices from University of Leeds.

Rachael Edwards developed a specialist interest in the role of technology in upper limb neurorehabilitation, whilst working as an Occupational Therapist on the upper limb program at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square.Rachael has relocated to Bristol and is setting up an Occupational Therapy service at Hobbs Rehabilitation Intensive Neurotherapy Centre, where she continues to explore the use of technology to support delivering intensive upper limb rehabilitation.

Keri has over 10 years experience in healthcare and academic research. Her area of specialism is the assessment and management of swallowing impairments (dysphagia). She worked in the NHS for 5 years before moving to New Zealand to pursue higher academic qualification. Keri's doctoral research explored the use of citric acid cough testing in the evaluation of airway protection. Her post-doctoral fellowship enabled her to continue exploring the role of sensation in upper aerodigestive function. Keri returned to the UK in September 2024 and is now utilising her clinical and research skills as a Speech and Language Therapist at Hobbs Rehabilitation.

Jen is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) by background. Having worked in Southampton and across London in both clinical and leadership roles, she joined Hobbs in 2015 to develop and lead our SLT team, which has now grown to include over 10 clinicians working across a range of conditions. Jen has over 20 years of experience working in acquired neurology with a special interest in stroke, dysphagia assessment and treatment, and complex neurological impairments including acquired brain injury and Functional Neurological Disorder, and is passionate about the power of goal-focused, interdisciplinary rehab. Jen took on the role of Clinical Operations Lead in 2021 and works closely with the Company Directors and other members of the Senior Management Team in the daily management and development of Hobbs Rehabilitation services, ensuring excellent clinical quality, and compliance with key policies, procedures and governance standards across all of our services.