Timothy D. Faw, PT, DPT, PhD

Faw Edit
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Core Faculty

timothy.faw@duke.edu
919-613-8699

Dr. Faw is a neuroscientist and physical therapist with expertise in the neurobiology of nervous system damage and treating adults with neurologic dysfunction. His research interests include cellular and molecular responses to central nervous system (CNS) damage; therapeutic strategies to promote CNS plasticity, repair, and functional recovery; and neurobiological mechanisms underlying rehabilitation and motor learning.

Education

  • PhD, Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, 2019
  • Certificate in Neurologic Physical Therapy (Residency), University of Southern California, 2010
  • DPT, Duke University, 2009
  • BS, Exercise Science, Pfeiffer University, 2005

Practice

Dr. Faw was Board Certified as a Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy in 2011. He specializes in rehabilitation of individuals with CNS damage (i.e. spinal cord injury, acquired brain injury, and stroke).

Research

Dr. Faw’s translational research is informed by years of neurologic clinical practice and conducting foundational studies using clinically-relevant animal models of CNS injury. This research seeks to better understand the cellular and molecular responses underlying CNS damage and repair, as well as the ability of rehabilitation and/or novel therapeutics to influence these processes from rodents to humans. Cellular, molecular, genetic, and behavioral approaches performed in small animal models allow the development and testing of therapeutics for clinical translation. Moreover, the use of clinically-relevant rehabilitation paradigms and behavioral outcomes in rodents, such as treadmill locomotion, kinematics, and magnetic resonance imaging, allows for rapid translation or even parallel study in clinical populations. The overall goal of Dr. Faw’s research program is to improve the ability of individuals living with neurologic dysfunction to participate in the things they find meaningful.

The Faw Laboratory

Publications

  • Lewis NE, Tabarestani TQ, Cellini BR, Zhang N, Marrotte EJ, Wang H, Laskowitz DT, Abd-El-Barr MM, Faw TD* (2022). Effect of Acute Physical Interventions on Pathophysiology and Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature. Neurospine 19(3):671-686. https://doi.org/10.14245/ns.2244476.238. * denotes senior authorship
  • Tabarestani TQ, Lewis NE, Kelly-Hedrick M, Zhang N, Cellini BR, Marrotte EJ, Williams T, Wang H, Laskowitz DT, Faw TD, Abd-El-Barr MM (2022). Surgical considerations to improve recovery in acute spinal cord injury. Neurospine 19(3):689-702. https://doi.org/10.14245/ns.2244616.308.
  • Faw TD, Lakhani B, Schmalbrock P, Knopp MV, Lohse KR, Kramer JLK, Liu H, Nguyen HT, Phillips EG, Bratasz A, Fisher LC, Deibert RJ, Boyd LA, McTigue DM, Basso DM (2021). Eccentric rehabilitation induces white matter plasticity and sensorimotor recovery in chronic spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol 346, 113853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113853. (Epub 2021 Aug 28)
  • Wang H, Faw TD, Lin Y, Huang S, Venkatraman TN, Cantillana V, Lascola CD, James ML, Laskowitz DT (2021). Neuroprotective pentapeptide, CN-105, improves outcomes in translational models of intracerebral hemorrhage. Neurocrit Care 35:441-450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-020-01184-y. (Epub 2021 Jan 21)
  • Sawicki CM, Kim JK, Weber MD, Faw TD, McKim DB, Madalena KM, Lerch JK, Basso DM, Humeidan ML, Godbout JP, Sheridan JF (2019). Microglia promote increased pain behavior through enhanced inflammation in the spinal cord during repeated social defeat stress. J Neurosci, 39(7):11391149; https://doi:10.1523/jneurosci.278518-2018. (Epub 2018 Dec 17)
  • Norden DM, Faw TD, McKim DB, Deibert RJ, Fisher LC, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP, Basso DM (2019). Bone marrow-derived monocytes drive the inflammatory microenvironment in local and remote regions after thoracic SCI. J Neurotrauma, 36(4):937-949. https://doi:10.1089/neu.2018.5806. (Epub 2018 Oct 6)
  • Faw TD, Lerch JK, Thaxton TT, Deibert RJ, Fisher LC, Basso DM (2018). Unique sensory and motor behavior in Thy1GFP-M mice before and after spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma, 35(18):2167-2182. https://doi:10.1089/neu.2017.5395. (Epub 2018 Jun 5)
  • Hansen CN, Norden DM, Faw TD, Deibert RJ, Wohleb ES, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP, Basso DM (2016). Lumbar myeloid cell trafficking into locomotor networks after thoracic spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol, 282:8698. https://doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.05.019. (Epub 2016 May 16)
  • Hansen CN, Norden DM, Faw TD, Deibert RJ, Wohleb ES, Sheridan JF, Godbout JP, Basso DM (2016). Lumbar myeloid cell trafficking into locomotor networks after thoracic spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol, 282:8698. https://doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.05.019. (Epub 2016 May 16)
  • Fisher BE, Lee YY, Pitsch EA, Moore B, Southam A, Faw TD, Powers CM (2013). Method for assessing brain changes associated with gluteus maximus activation. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 43(4):214221. https://doi:10.2519/jospt.2013.4188. (Epub 2013 Mar 13)

Awards and Honors

  • Travel Award, International Symposium on Neural Regeneration, 2017
  • Mary Lou Barnes Award, Foundation for Physical Therapy, 2017
  • Promotion of Doctoral Studies Level II Scholarship, Foundation for Physical Therapy, 2017
  • Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31), National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 2016
  • Travel Award, Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, 2016
  • Outstanding Oral Presentation, The Ohio State University IGP Life Sciences Symposium, 2016
  • Research Day Award, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Research Day, 2016
  • Promotion of Doctoral Studies Level II Scholarship, Foundation for Physical Therapy, 2016
  • Travel Award, International Symposium on Neural Regeneration, 2015
  • Patricia Leahy Award, Foundation for Physical Therapy, 2015
  • Promotion of Doctoral Studies Level I Scholarship, Foundation for Physical Therapy, 2015
  • Specialization Academy of Content Experts Inductee (Neurology), American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, 2015
  • Promotion of Doctoral Studies Level I Scholarship, Foundation for Physical Therapy, 2014
  • Florence P. Kendall Post-Professional Doctoral Scholarship, Foundation for Physical Therapy, 2013