Edelle “Edee” Field-Fote

About Dr. Field-Fote

“Curiosity is the spark behind every brilliant discovery.”

That spirit inspires Dr. Edee Field-Fote’s work at the intersection of neuroscience and rehabilitation. She blends curiosity, mentorship, and innovation, using neuromodulation and precise movement science to restore function and promote recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI).

Mentorship, leadership, and translating science to practice are central to her mission of bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. Every step toward restoring function reflects the science that advances understanding, as well as the humanity that drives purpose and keeps discovery meaningful.

As Principal Investigator, she directs federally funded SCI clinical trials and oversees the Spinal Cord Injury Model System at Shepherd Center. She also mentors emerging rehabilitation scientists nationwide through the NIH R25 Training in Grantsmanship in Rehabilitation Research program.

Research specialties

• Nervous system reorganization after injury
• Strategies to maximize locomotor rehabilitation
• Interventions to promote neuroplasticity for improved hand function

Education & training

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Motor Control Physiology – University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
• Ph.D., Movement Science – Washington University in St. Louis
• M.S., Industrial Engineering & Epidemiology (Interdisciplinary) – University of Miami
• B.S., Physical Therapy – University of Miami

Certifications

• Intensive Course in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation – Harvard Medical School, Department of Continuing Education

Why her work matters

For more than 25 years, Dr. Field-Fote has pursued one mission: helping people regain independence after spinal cord injury. Her research has advanced understanding of how the nervous system reorganizes after injury, optimized locomotor rehabilitation strategies, and developed innovative interventions to improve hand function.

“The work at Shepherd is deeply meaningful because it connects scientific discovery with real lives. Every study and clinical interaction offers the chance to restore function, independence, and hope.”

Her passion began as a young physical therapist, working with patients her own age whose lives had changed overnight. That experience shaped her lifelong commitment to making every therapy session — and every scientific breakthrough — count.

Beyond Shepherd

Dr. Field-Fote is also a Professor at Emory University School of Medicine and Professor of the Practice at Georgia Institute of Technology, fostering collaboration and mentorship across institutions. She serves in leadership roles with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), driving national progress in rehabilitation research and clinical practice.

Awards and honors

• 2023 54th McMillan Lecturer, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
• 2023 Anne Shumway-Cook Lecturer, Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy APTA
• 2020 Fellow of the American Spinal Injury Association (FASIA)
• 2018 Appointment to the National Institutes of Health, National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research, 2018 – 2021; elected Chair, 2019 – 2021
• 2015 Maley Award for Outstanding Leadership in Research, Academy of Physical Therapy Research, APTA
• 2015 Award for Excellence in Neurologic Research, Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, APTA
• 2013 Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association (FAPTA)
• 2012 John H.P. Maley Lecture Award, American Physical Therapy Association
• 2012 Chattanooga Research Award, American Physical Therapy Association
• 2011 Difference Maker Award, Rick Hansen Foundation
• 2010 Appointment to NIH College of Center for Scientific Review (CSR) Reviewers
• 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University in St Louis
• 2008 Digitimer Distinguished Lecturer Award, American Society of Neurophysiologic Monitoring
• 2008 Dorothy Briggs Memorial Scientific Inquiry Award, American Physical Therapy Association
• 2007 International Spinal Cord Exchange Fellow, New South Wales Ministry for Science & Medical Research