Our Approach

A woman in a wheelchair wears fitness sensors and a breathing mask while a man in a blazer kneels beside her, adjusting equipment on her wheelchair in a modern, clinical setting.

Careful, clever, collaborative, rigorous

We are a community of scientists, clinicians, innovators, advocates, patients, and care partners united by a single mission: helping people with complex injuries and illnesses not just survive but thrive.

Research and rehabilitation that moves you

Behind every study is a story:

  • A father able to dance with his daughter at her wedding
  • A musician regaining the ability to play
  • A husband feeling his wife’s face for the first time since his injury

These are not just milestones; they are the moments that define a life. And making these moments possible is what drives us every day.

A culture of compassion and collaboration

From the minute you walk through our doors, you feel it — the energy, the compassion, the relentless determination to help people rebuild their lives after a catastrophic injury or illness.

In many research environments, egos and competition can overshadow collaboration. At Shepherd, we hire and retain people who excel in team environments and share one core value: the patient comes first.

Patients as partners

Our patients are more than care recipients, they are partners in discovery, recovery, and innovation. Every research project we undertake, every new therapy we test, and every piece of technology we explore is driven by one question: Will this make life better for the people we serve? That is our approach.

Explore our work

Discover how we transform bold ideas into scalable, real-world solutions — through rigorous research, clinical insight, and strategic collaboration.

  • A woman with glasses, smiling, sits at a table and plays a board game with another person. She is reaching for a piece on the game board, and the setting appears to be a casual indoor space.

    Recent studies

    Groundbreaking research with real-world impact and scalable clinical applications.
  • A person looks at a laptop screen displaying a colorful 3D brain scan with data analysis and protocols on the left side of the screen. The brain image includes a color-coded legend on the right.

    Areas of research

    SCI, TBI, assistive tech, pharma, usability, MS, data science, and more.
  • A modern hallway with blue LED light strips on the wall and a sign reading

    Innovation Institute

    Where bold ideas become real-world solutions through clinical and tech collaboration.
The exterior of the Shepherd Center building with its logo and name displayed prominently, reflecting the city skyline and greenery on its glass windows under a clear blue sky.

Our philosophy

  • Collaboration between scientists, clinicians, innovators, advocates, patients, and care partners helps to define the questions we investigate.
  • Our researchers and clinicians adhere to the highest standards and best practice, from data collection and clinical trials to patient therapies and device prototypes.
  • Families and caregivers are part of the process, from planning to outcomes.
  • Industry partners are key to our success in scaling access and maximizing impact.
Headshot of Debbie Backus

We don’t take ‘you can’t’ very well. We hear it as, ‘figure out another way.’

Deborah Backus, PT, Ph.D., FACRM Vice President of Research and Innovation and Director of Virginia C. Crawford Research Institute

Our advantages

  • We are agile, accelerated, and responsive with our own Institutional Review Board (IRB), allowing us to move projects forward faster than many academic institutions.
  • We think outside the box, leveraging the wealth of experiences using our clinicians and patients to explore new ideas and solutions.
  • We are bridge-builders, connecting industry partners, universities, clinicians, and patient communities in ways that spark fresh ideas and accelerate innovation.
  • We share our success with partners and patients worldwide through knowledge sharing, brand elevation, training, and real-world applications of new therapies and tech.
  • We are nationally designated as a Model System for spinal cord and brain injury research, leading collaborative studies that shape the future of rehabilitation care.

From the Newsroom

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