Steven Barlow joined the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders in 2014 as the Corwin Moore Professor after working at the University of Kansas for more than 13 years. He began his tenure as chair of the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders in July 2021.
His research is collaborative in nature and focuses on the neurobiology of somatosensory and motor systems in premature infants. Steven developed the NTrainer System, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2008, and uses its innovative pulsed cutaneous stimulation during critical periods of development to facilitate oral feeding skills, overall brain development and long-term behavioral and learning outcomes.
Most recently, Steven was awarded a $2.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He will use the grant funding to lead a five-year, multi-site study that will examine 180 preterm infants born between 24-27 weeks at neonatal intensive care units at CHI Health St. Elizabeth in Lincoln, Tufts Medical Center in Boston, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. This new study will be the first of its kind to explore the ability of the NTrainer’s stimulation to trigger positive genetic changes as related to six target genes in the infants.
A variant of Steven’s NTrainer therapy approach using dynamic somatosensory fields is now being tested as an agent of brain plasticity in adults who have sustained cerebrovascular stroke. New study lines at UNL will focus on neural encoding of velocity and direction of saltatory somatosensory inputs using a new medical device developed in the Steven’s lab, known as the TAC-Cell Array or ‘Galileo’. The main objectives are to improve neurodiagnostics and neurotherapeutics to improve the well-being of the affected individual across the lifespan, including improved speech and swallowing motor control, and when involved, rehabilitate sensorimotor control of distal extremities (hand, object manipulation).
Areas of Expertise:
Experience- and activity-dependent plasticity across the lifespan
Somatosensory and motor physiology
Medical device neurotherapeutics
PH.D., SPEECH PHYSIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, 1984
M.S., SPEECH-HEARING SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, 1980
B.S., SPEECH PATHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, 1976
Professional Highlights
Honors and Recognition
2020, iidex Invention-Innovation-Design Exposition Bronze Award
2019, Laurels Recognition for Research, University of Nebraska
2019, Callier Prize for Outstanding Scientific Achievement, Callier Center, University of Texas at Dallas
2016, Research Faculty, Society for Pediatric Research
2015, Honors Award for Distinguished Scientific Research
Career and Service, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2015, Meritorious Poster Award, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2012, Louise Byrd Graduate Research Training Award, University of Kansas
2012, Leading Light Research Award, University of Kansas
2011, Founder, Neonatal Feeding Club, American Pediatric Society
2009, Dolph C. Simons, Sr. Award in the Biomedical Sciences
2009, Editor’s and Publisher Award, Journal Neonatal Nursing
2009, Fellow Award, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2008, Best Scientific Article, Physiological Measurement
2003, 4th William R. Zemlin Memorial Award for Excellence in Speech Science Research, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
2002, Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Kansas
1985, James M. Keck Faculty Development Award, Creighton University
Honors and Recognition
2021-present, Chair, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2014-present, Corwin Moore Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2015-present, Associate Director, Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2014-present, Director, Communication Neuroscience Laboratories, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2014-present, Professor (Affiliate), Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2015-present, Director, Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy Laboratory at CB3, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2004-13, Professor, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences & Disorders, University of Kansas
2000-04, Professor and Chair, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences & Disorders, University of Kansas
2000-13, Professor, Programs in Neuroscience, Human Biology, and Bioengineering, University of Kansas
1999-2000, Professor and Chair, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University
1993-99, Professor, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University
1990-93, Associate Professor, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University
1987-89, Coordinator and Staff Scientist, Speech-Orofacial Physiology Lab, Boys Town National Institute, Omaha, Nebraska
1987-89, Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Creighton University School of Medicine
1984-87, Co-Coordinator and Research Associate, Speech-Orofacial Physiology Lab, Boys Town National Institute, Omaha, Nebraska
1984-86, Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Creighton University School of Medicine
Honors and Recognition
Society for Neuroscience
Acoustical Society of America
Association for Research in Otolaryngology
National Head Injury Foundation
American Clinical Neurophysiology Society
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences
American Academy of Neurology
Pediatric Academic Society (Society for Pediatric Research)