Fabrisia Ambrosio, PhD, MPT

Dr. Fabrisia Ambrosio is the Director of Rehabilitation for UPMC International and an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh. She holds secondary appointments in the Departments of Bioengineering, Physical Therapy, Orthopaedic Surgery, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, and Environmental & Occupational Health.  In addition, she serves as a member of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Executive Committee. Dr. Ambrosio graduated with a Master of Science in Physiology-Endocrinology with a specialization in skeletal muscle physiology from Laval University in Québec City, Québec. She also graduated with a Master of Physical Therapy from Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Dr. Ambrosio completed her PhD in Rehabilitation Science & Technology from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Ambrosio's research has the long-term goal of developing Regenerative Rehabilitation approaches to enhance skeletal muscle function with increasing age and in the setting of disease. Her laboratory uses murine and human models to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which targeted and specific mechanotransductive signals can be used to enhance donor and/or host stem cell functionality.  Dr. Ambrosio's research has been supported by the NIH, the DOD, the Foundation for Physical Therapy, the Claude D. Pepper Older American's Independence Center, and the University of Pittsburgh Institute on Aging, among others. Dr. Ambrosio has published and recorded several educational modules on the topic of Regenerative Rehabilitation and has assumed national leadership roles in several work group efforts to promote the integration of regenerative medicine technologies with rehabilitation approaches. She co-directs the NIH-funded Alliance for Regenerative Research & Training (AR³T), and she is the Founding Course Director of the Annual International Symposium on Regenerative Rehabilitation. She is also the Founding Director of the International Consortium for Regenerative Rehabilitation, which includes 16 participating institutions representing North America, Europe, and Asia. View a list of Dr. Ambrosio’s publications here.