Interview with Prof. Gert Kwakkel – 8th European Congress on Neurorehabilitation in conjunction with the 20th Congress of the Society for the Study of Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity
Interviewee: Prof. Gert Kwakkel
Interviewer: Ms. Stefana-Andrada Dobran
The 8th European Congress on Neurorehabilitation, in conjunction with the 20th Congress of the Society for the Study of Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity, was held on 27–28 October 2025 in Torremolinos, Spain.
The landmark event highlighted innovations that are actively reshaping neurorehabilitation, including:
Brain–Computer Interfaces: Advancing from theoretical concepts to real-world clinical applications for functional restoration.
AI, Virtual Reality, and Robotics: Enhancing rehabilitation through more precise, personalised, and adaptive treatment protocols.
Advanced Pharmacological Therapies: Developing agents that actively support and protect neuroplasticity.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Emphasising that the most impactful innovations emerge at the intersection of multiple specialties.
Professor Gert Kwakkel is a leading expert in stroke neurorehabilitation, holding the Chair of Neurorehabilitation at Amsterdam University Medical Center. His research focuses on brain plasticity and motor recovery in the early phase after stroke. An internationally recognized scientist with numerous high-impact publications and awards—including an advanced ERC laureate and the Princess Margaret Memorial Award—he also serves as editor for Stroke and Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair and is a visiting professor at Northwestern University, USA.
In this interview, Professor Gert Kwakkel shares insights on bridging research and clinical practice, the future of motor recovery, and challenges in translating neuroplasticity into effective rehabilitation strategies. He emphasizes the importance of international collaboration, connecting movement science with neuroscience, and the value of advanced monitoring technologies for understanding patient recovery patterns. Professor Kwakkel also discusses the need to better understand why some stroke patients recover while others do not, and how interdisciplinary cooperation is key to improving rehabilitation outcomes.
We kindly invite you to browse our Interview category: https://efnr.org/category/interviews/. You will surely find inspiring perspectives from world-renowned specialists in neurorehabilitation.
