Education

• Postdoctoral training: Kinesiology/Movement Neuroscience, Pennsylvania State University, 2005
• Ph.D., Kinesiology, Arizona State University, 2000
• M.S., Kinesiology, Arizona State University, 1995
• B.A., Physical Education, Korea University, 1993

Interests & Expertise

In his research, Dr. Wang attempts to delineate the neural mechanisms that underlie hemispheric lateralization and interlimb transfer of motor control and learning. He is interested in research questions such as how movement information is stored, represented and retrieved in the brain, and how such information is transferred between the two brain hemispheres. To study these questions, he often investigates how learning a novel task generalizes across different movement conditions (e.g., transfer of visuomotor or dynamic adaptation task from one limb to the other, or from bilateral to unilateral training conditions). He is also interested in investigating other issues of motor control/learning, which include observational learning, handedness, the effect of perception on motor learning, etc.

Dr. Wang investigated these motor control/learning issues primarily with healthy young adults and individuals with Parkinson's disease in his previous research. His current/future research directions also involve testing stroke patients with hemiparesis and upper limb amputees, employing psychophysical experiments and functional MRI.

Recent Publications

Wang J., Joshi M., & Lei Y. (2011). The extent of interlimb transfer following adaptation to a novel visuomotor condition does not depend on awareness of the condition. Journal of Neurophysiology 106:259-64.

Wang J., Przybyla A., Wuebbenhorst K., Haaland K.Y., & Sainburg R.L. (2011). Aging reduces asymmetries in interlimb transfer of visuomotor adaptation. Experimental Brain Research 210:283-90.

Wang J., Mordkoff J.T., Sainburg R.L. (2010). Visuomotor learning generalizes between bilateral and unilateral conditions despite varying degrees of bilateral interference. Journal of Neurophysiology 104:2713-21.

Wang J., Sainburg R.L. (2009). Generalization of visuomotor learning between bilateral and unilateral conditions. Journal of Neurophysiology 102:2790-9.

Wang J. (2008). A dissociation between visual and motor workspace inhibits generalization of visuomotor adaptation across the limbs. Experimental Brain Research 187:483-90.

Wang J., Sainburg R.L. (2007). The dominant and nondominant arms are specialized for stabilizing different features of task performance. Experimental Brain Research 178:565-70.

Wang J., Sainburg R.L. (2006). Interlimb transfer of visuomotor rotations depends on handedness. Experimental Brain Research 175:223-30.

Wang J., Sainburg R.L. (2006). The symmetry of interlimb transfer depends on workspace locations. Experimental Brain Research 170:464-71.

Wang J., Bohan M., Leis B.C., & Stelmach G.E. (2006). Altered coordination patterns in parkinsonian patients during trunk-assisted prehension. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 12:211-22.

Wang J., & Sainburg R.L. (2005). Adaptation to visuomotor rotations remaps movement vectors, not final positions. Journal of Neuroscience 25:4024-30.

Wang J., & Sainburg R.L. (2004). Interlimb transfer of novel inertial dynamics is asymmetrical. Journal of Neurophysiology 92:349-60.

Wang J., & Sainburg R.L. (2004). Limitations in interlimb transfer of visuomotor rotations. Experimental Brain Research 155:1-8.

Wang J., & Sainburg R.L. (2003). Mechanisms underlying interlimb transfer of visuomotor rotations. Experimental Brain Research 149:520-526.

Sainburg R.L., & Wang J. (2002). Interlimb transfer of visuomotor rotations: Independence of direction and final position information. Experimental Brain Research 145:437-447.

Wang J., & Stelmach G.E. (2001). Prehension involving the trunk: Accuracy and temporal constraints influence trunk kinematics. Experimental Brain Research 136:231-240.

Stelmach G.E., & Wang J. (2001). Impairments in Trunk -Assisted Prehension in Parkinson's Disease. In N. Gancthev (ed.), From Basic Motor Control to Functional Recovery II (pp. 357-367). Academic Publishing House: Sofia