Fang Ba

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry - Medicine Dept

Contact Overview Publications

Contact

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry - Medicine Dept

Email: fb@ualberta.ca

Overview

Area of Study / Keywords

freezing of gait Neurochemical Neuroanatomical movement disorders patient-centered decision making outcome Deep brain stimulations Parkinson's disease dystonia genetics Parkinson's disease Freezing of gait MRI

About

I received my MD degree from University of Calgary in 2007. I also obtained a PhD degree in Physiology/Neuroscience from University of Alberta. I finished my neurology residency and CIHR fellowship in Movement Disorders at the University of Alberta. I also pursued further training in Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in University of Florida. My research interest and practice are in DBS for movement disorders, and imaging biomarker for gait impairments in Parkinson's disease.

I am currently Associate Professor in the Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, and is the co-director of the Parkinson & Movement Disorders Program and the DBS program. My primary research interest and practice are in Deep Brain Stimulation for Movement Disorders and imaging biomarkers for gait impairments in Parkinson's disease.

I am heavily involved in teaching in movement disorders, gait and balance for students, residents, and fellows. In addition, I was chosen as "Dean’s special envoy to China" for our Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at U of A from 2015-2018 to facilitate the collaboration between several Chinese Universities and University of Alberta, given my knowledge and connections with China.

Clinical Interests

Parkinson's disease

Deep brain stimulation

Gait and balance

Neuroimaging (MRI) as biomarker for gait and balance change in Parkinson's

Visual behaviour in Parkinson's

Examples of Projects:

A Patient-Centered Decision Making Algorithm for Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery of Parkinson’s Disease Patient Selection

Stereopsis as biomarker in Parkinson’s disease

The Comparison of Parkinson’s Disease Gait and Balance Impairment in On-Freezing Patients with Non-Freezer and Off-Freezing Patients with Neuroanatomical Correlations

Multi-modality MRI study of Pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) as a biomarker for gait dysfunction and treatment prognostication

Using Spinal Reflexes as Biomarkers in Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease

A novel approach to investigating and treating postural instability and falls in Parkinson’s disease

Proactive Visual Stimulus for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: Development & Validation

Research

My primary research interest and practice are in Deep Brain Stimulation for Movement Disorders. Currently, we are involved in research to investigate how cortico-spinal reflex changes under the influence of parkinson medication and DBS in Parkinson's patients. We also use a computer-based tool to assess patients' decision making in DBS for Parkinson's disease and analyze the outcomes.

Since gait difficulties are one of the most debilitating symptoms in Parkinson's disease, I am also looking into the imaging biomarkers for gait difficulties and to look into the structural changes that can predict the response to treatment interventions.

Other research I am involved includes new drug trials for Parkinson's patients with significant motor fluctuations.

Teaching

I am the director of fellowship training and the education coordinator for movement disorders program/rotations. I am also involved in undergraduate medical education, and postgraduate medical education in the format of classroom teaching, small group teaching, bedside clinical teaching, and designs of OSCEs.