About my work
Welcome! I am a neuroscientist and occupational therapist working at the intersection of neurorehabilitation, music, enriched environments, and complex health interventions.
I am a professor and research group coordinator at EUIT University Center, affiliated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
My research focuses on developing and evaluating complex, multimodal interventions for neurological rehabilitation, examining their clinical benefits, the mechanisms of brain plasticity that support recovery, and their implementation in real-world settings.
My work brings together neuroscience and occupational therapy to explore how meaningful activities, enriched environments, and music-based interventions can promote recovery, participation, and quality of life in people living with neurological and chronic health conditions.
Research lines
With more than fifteen years of research experience, I am committed to developing complex interventions that are grounded in the latest advances in basic science, evidence-based in design, and responsive to people’s needs, values, and lived experiences in real-world care settings.
I lead and collaborate on funded national and international projects that examine the effects, mechanisms, and implementation of these interventions through clinical trials and experimental designs, combining behavioral assessments, neurophysiological and neuroimaging methods, and digital health tools.
Enriched stroke rehabilitation
Investigating how enriched rehabilitation environments that combine meaningful activities, music, social interaction, and structured practice can support recovery, participation, and well-being after stroke.
Music-supported therapy
Developing and evaluating music-based interventions, including home-based and digital formats, to enhance motor recovery, motivation, engagement, and continued rehabilitation after stroke.
Music for chronic pain
Examining how personalised music listening can complement chronic pain care by promoting pain relief, emotional well-being, and quality of life.
Selected contributions
Beyond my core research lines, my work contributes to the design and implementtion of complex health interventions, methdological debate in arts and health, digital innovation in rehabilitation, and the development of occupational therapy practice and policy.
Relevant key achivements include:
Relevant key achivements include:
01
Real world implementation
Designing, evaluating, and implementing complex interventions for rehabilitation across hospital and community settings with attention to feasibility, acceptability, participation, and social impact.
02
Digital rehabilitation innovation
Designing novel neurorehabilitation techniques that combine digital health, artificial intelligence, movement sonification, and personalised home-based training.
03
Occupational therapy in primary care
Evaluating the integration of occupational therapy into primary care teams and home-based services for people living with chronic and disabling conditions.
04
Rare diseases and social impact
Investigating the healthcare, social, educational, and employment needs of people living with rare diseases and their families to inform more coordinated, inclusive, and person-centred services.
05
Methdological challenges in arts and health
Advancing critical and methodological approaches to the conceptualisation, evaluation, and translation of arts- and music-based health interventions into practice.
06
Rehabilitation policy
Contributing to the definition of rehabilitation policies for the Health Department of the Government of Catalonia through evidence-based service planning.
07
Professional standards and resources
Strengthening occupational therapy practice through the first deontological code for occupational therapists in Catalonia and an open-access book compiling more than 100 assessment instruments for practice and research.
08
Research mentorship and leadership
Training and mentoring undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students in occupational therapy and health research, supporting their development as critical, evidence-informed practitioners and independent researchers.
Academic roles
Current position
I am the coordinator of the OCCARE research group on
Complex Health Diagnoses and Interventions
from Occupation and Care,
where I lead a team of dedicated researchers
in occupational therapy and nursing.
My group’s mission is to enhance evidence-based clinical practice, influence and support public health and social policies, and contribute to a society that is more informed about health processes.
Trajectory
2024 – 2025: Visiting faculty:
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation;
Johns Hopkins Medicine, United States.
Johns Hopkins Medicine, United States.
2019 – 2021: Postdoctoral researcher
Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit,
Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Spain.
Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Spain.
2015 – 2018: Predoctoral researcher
Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
2010 – 2014: Research assistant
Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Spain.