Sara J Hussain, PhD - Principal Investigator
Dr. Hussain (aka Sara) completed her bachelor's and doctoral training at the University of Iowa before moving to Bethesda, MD for postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in 2016. Sara then started her own lab at the University of Texas at Austin in 2021. In Fall 2025, she returned to Iowa, where she lives with her husband and their son. In the lab, you can find Sara enthusiastically talking about descending systems and real-time analyses, drinking coffee, and sending nonsensical emojis in the lab's slack. Outside of the lab, she is either hanging out with her family, at the gym, drinking kombucha (when it is too late for coffee), or reading a book.
Uttara Khatri, MS, PhD Candidate
Uttara completed her combined BS-MS in Biology from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, India. Her research focuses on developing real-time brain state dependent TMS for post-stroke hand recovery. In the lab you can find her collecting data, playing around with data in MATLAB with funny variable names and drinking coffee and chatting. Outside of the lab, she enjoys working out, cooking, dancing, painting and discussing a variety of topics! You can also find her doing a Garba (a form of Indian dance) to any song under the sun!
Tharan Suresh, MS, PhD Candidate
Tharan is a cognitive neuroscientist interested in human motor learning and memory. He investigates the neural control of skilled voluntary movements, motor memory consolidation, and reconsolidation. He also studies upper limb motor function in individuals with stroke. As a trained clinical neurophysiologist, he develops and uses brain stimulation interventions to induce neuroplasticity for motor recovery. His goal is to bridge the gap between fundamental neuroscience and the clinic. Outside the lab, Tharan is an avid reader, loves brewing fresh coffee, and following the financial markets.
Tharan's personal website can be found here.
Yinglu Hong, MS
Yinglu completed her bachelor’s and master’s training in Rehabilitation Science at Beijing Sport University, where she developed a strong interest in how neural mechanisms shape motor recovery. Alongside her early research experiences, she also gained clinical experience providing rehabilitation care for professional athletes, which highlighted the gap between rehabilitation practices and underlying neural mechanisms. This motivated her to focus on the neurophysiology of human motor control. Her current research examines how different motor descending pathways are differentially engaged during hand motor function. Outside the lab, she enjoys exploring a wide range of sports, especially hiking and tennis.
Joshua Tatz, PhD
Dr. Joshua Tatz earned a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Drake University. He then completed his PhD in Behavior, Cognition, and Neuroscience at American University in Washington, D.C., where his doctoral research examined how integrating information across multiple senses shapes memory and perception. Josh returned to Iowa to complete a first postdoc with Dr. Jan Wessel (Neurology/Psych and Brain Sciences) at the University of Iowa, where he advanced knowledge of cognitive control using EEG and TMS methodologies. During this time, he became increasingly interested in the clinical applications of TMS, leading him to subsequent postdoctoral work with Dr. Nicholas Trapp in Psychiatry to better understand the mechanisms of TMS in psychiatric populations and with Dr. Sara Hussain to develop real-time TMS approaches to support motor rehabilitation in stroke survivors. His long-term goal is to advance personalized non-invasive brain stimulation therapies that will improve clinical outcomes across a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. When not in the lab, Josh enjoys hiking, biking, and making music.
Ellie Wichman
Ellie earned her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Iowa in 2023. She joined the Real-Time NeuroRehabilitation Lab in 2025 as a post-baccalaureate research intern, where she is gaining hands-on experience in human neurophysiology research and exploring potential directions for future graduate study. Before joining the lab, Ellie conducted undergraduate research in the LaLumiere Lab at the University of Iowa, where she investigated the neural circuits mediating behavior with a focus on the neurobiology of learning and memory and the neurobiology of drug addiction. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and catching up on the latest reality TV shows.