Dr. Caroline Schnakers is a licensed clinical psychologist, research scientist, and internationally-recognized expert in the field of neurorehabilitation. Her work focuses on assessment of cognition and brain activity in patients with severe acquired brain injury and Disorders of Consciousness (DOC: coma, vegetative, and minimally conscious states), using behavioral, electrophysiological and neuroimaging techniques. Dr. Schnakers has published over 100 research articles in international peer-reviewed journals including Neurology, Annals of Neurology, Nature Reviews Neurology and Lancet.

In her clinical practice, Dr. Schnakers joins The Scheiner Group in offering assessments and developing treatment options to improve cognitive function within this unique patient population, and provide support to their families and caregivers.

Dr. Schnakers is the Assistant Director at the Research Institute of Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare. She also serves as the chair of the Special Interest Group on DOC for the International Brain Injury Association and is actively involved in the Curing Coma Campaign.

ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH APPOINTMENTS

  • Assistant Director, Research Institute, Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA

  • Health Sciences Clinical Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Los Angeles

  • Assistant Project Scientist, Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Los Angeles

  • Visiting Researcher, Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles

EDUCATION

  • University of Liège, Belgium, M.S., Ph.D., Clinical Psychology

  • University of Liège, Belgium, B.S., Psychology

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

  • Fellow, National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS) Coma Science Group, Cyclotron Research Center, Belgium

  • Post-doctoral Fellow, Neuroscience, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Edison, NJ

Languages AND EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

  • French

  • Editorial board member, Brain Sciences

  • Associate Editor, Frontiers Psychology – Neuropsychology

  • Coma and Disorders of Consciousness (Springer-Verlag, Paris, 2011; Springer-Verlag, London, 2012, 2018)

Professional AFFILIATIONS

  • American Psychological Association

  • California Psychological Association

  • International Brain Injury Association

  • American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine