David Putrino

David Putrino is a renowned physical therapist and neuroscientist, known for his pioneering work at the intersection of technology and rehabilitation. He is a Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Director of Rehabilitation Innovation for the Mount Sinai Health System where he leads a multidisciplinary team focused on healthcare innovation and how it touches many spheres of health, disability and human performance.

At Mount Sinai, Putrino directs the Abilities Research Center, a unique hybrid research lab and clinic dedicated to developing and rapidly deploying advanced technologies -- including motion capture, virtual and augmented reality, and wearable and implantable devices -- to help individuals achieve their full potential. Beyond his clinical and basic science research, Dr. Putrino collaborates with partners such as Red Bull, the Brooklyn Nets NBA team, and the US Olympic team using cutting-edge techniques to enhance performance and aid in injury recovery. Additionally, he serves as the "Chief Mad Scientist" at Not Impossible Labs, an organization that creates disruptive technological solutions for pressing humanitarian challenges. His expertise has also been instrumental in developing virtual reality and telehealth solutions to provide remote care for patients with complex rehabilitation needs.

Putrino is also the Nash Family Director of the Cohen Center for Recovery from Complex Chronic Illness at Mount Sinai, a newly established center dedicated to treating infection-associated complex conditions, including Long COVID and chronic tick- and vector-borne diseases. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Putrino has gained global recognition as a leading expert in the assessment, treatment, and underlying pathophysiology of Long COVID. His team has cared for over 3,000 patients with Long COVID and has published numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers on the subject.

Putrino is a prolific writer and speaker. He has co-authored numerous scientific publications and his research has been featured in various media outlets, such as ABC, Sports Illustrated, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, Time, Wired and the LA Times. He is the author of "Hacking Health: How to Make Money and Save Lives in the HealthTech World," and his work is featured in the full-length HBO feature documentary "Quad Gods."

Putrino was clinically trained as a physiotherapist at Curtin University of Technology in Perth before completing a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Western Australia, followed by postdoctoral studies at Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and New York University. His early research was centered on understanding the neural mechanisms of movement and developing strategies to enhance motor recovery in individuals with neurological impairments.