Dr. Taylor Zuleger is a neuroscientist and post-doctoral research fellow at the Emory Sports Performance and Research Center (SPARC). His work is dedicated to understanding how concussive, sub-concussive, and blast-related head impacts alter brain function and structure, with the goal of elucidating neurophysiological changes and improving rehabilitation strategies following neurological injury. His research integrates advanced neuroimaging and neuroscience techniques to explore the neuromechanisms underlying movement dysfunction, as well as cognitive and mental health outcomes following brain injury, particularly in adolescent athletes and military personnel exposed to blast injuries. Dr. Zuleger earned his PhD in neuroscience from the University of Cincinnati and has extensive experience in human movement neuroscience research and functional neuroimaging. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and human biology, with an emphasis on human behavior and health, from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Prior to his doctoral studies, he completed post-baccalaureate training (R25 award) at Northwestern University and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, where he investigated novel rehabilitation strategies to improve movement outcomes in stroke survivors. With over eight years of neuroscience-related research experience, Dr. Zuleger is proficient in electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data collection and analysis. During his PhD studies, he cultivated expertise in functional MRI (fMRI) and MR-safe biomechanics assessments to investigate neural activity alterations in adolescent athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts and those with a history of concussion. His work, supported by a T32 training grant, focused on how the application of lower extremity movement paradigms during fMRI could be used to investigate brain-based biomarkers contributing to future lower extremity injury risk and movement dysfunction. This work was also extended to explore rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving neuromuscular outcomes following sports-related head impacts. Currently, Dr. Zuleger oversees all neuroimaging related data collection and methodology at Emory SPARC. He also contributes to analyses, interpretation, and dissemination of findings on related musculoskeletal imaging projects that assess injury risk and recovery in adolescent athletes. His work at SPARC aims to bridge the gap between neuroscience and sports medicine by identifying brain-based biomarkers associated with future injury risk, mental health outcomes, and recovery, ultimately informing strategies to reduce the long-term consequences of neurological injury. In addition to his role at SPARC, Dr. Zuleger is a part-time member of the Fleischer Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging Laboratory (BSIL) at Emory University School of Medicine. Here he provides support for undergraduate students by contributing to their research development and expanding his collaborative efforts within the field. Dr. Zuleger’s expertise and commitment to advancing neuroimaging methodologies align with his long-term goal of reducing the negative sequelae of neurological injury. His contributions make him a valuable asset to Emory SPARC and the broader scientific community.