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Staff photo Xiaolei Hu

Xiaolei Hu

MD, PhD

Associate professor and Senior Consultant PRM Physician
Head of academic discipline of rehabilitation medicine

Joint clical position, Region Västerbotten

orcid.org/0000-0001-9864-7432

Research qualifications: Docent

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Works as

Affiliation
Associate professor, senior consultant (attending) physician at Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation Section: Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated
Location
-, Biologihuset Umeå universitet, 901 87 Umeå

Biography
I trained as a physician in China and earned my PhD at Umeå University in 2003. My doctoral thesis was titled Apoptotic and necrotic cell death after photothrombotic ring stroke. During my post-doc period, I focused on the enriched environment and neuroplasticity. In 2017, after renewing my medical education and completing both internship and residency training in Sweden, I became a consultant physician specializing in rehabilitation medicine.

As a main supervisor, I has supervised two PhDs, one postdoctoral fellow and 18 MD students to completion, and am currently supervising 3 PhD students and 2 postdoctoral fellows. I lead a multidisciplinary research team that includes research nurses, clinical trial coordinators, biomedical engineers, a health economist and statisticians.


I am a frequent invited speaker and serves on program committees for national and international conferences. Among my international activities, I currently serve as the Coordinator of the Scientific Committee and an Executive Member of the European Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (ESPRM) , as well as Chair of the Stroke Special Interest Scientific Committee (Stroke-SISC). Additionally, I am Co-Chair of the ClinFit Committee within the International Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM).


I am the Editor-in-Chief in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine - Clinical Communications and serve on the editorial board of the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.

Research

My research focuses on stroke rehabilitation, including evaluating rehabilitation needs using Rehabkompassen® - a digital tool my team and I developed - which is currently being assessed in a national multicenter randomized controlled trial. My work also explores cognitive recovery, neuroplasticity, and the implementation of evidence-based practice in clinical setting. In collaboration with my global network, I am engaged in research on post-stroke rehabilitation services across Europe, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, Covid-19 and e-health.

I has received more than 30 million SEK in external funding from the Swedish Research Council (VR) – treatment research and VR project grants, Forte, the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, VINNOVA, and the Swedish Stroke Association, as well as internal funding from Central and Base ALF.

Ongoing Research projects:

  • Development of digital tools to facilitate structured follow-up and rehabilitation (projects Rehabkompassen®-stroke, Rehabkompassen®-TBI and Rehabkompassen®-SCI).
  •  Evaluation of the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and resource requirements of these tools.(projects Rehabkompassen®-stroke, Rehabkompassen®-TBI and Rehabkompassen®-SCI).
  • Conducting a pragmatic national multicenter RCT to establish strong evidence for digital tools (Rehabkompassen®-Stroke study, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04915027).
  • Exploring neuroplasticity in relation to cognitive recovery in middle-aged stroke patients (KOGNEST-fMRI project).
  • Implementation of evidence-based motor rehabilitation with high-intensity, task-specific training in clinical practice (IMPRESS project).
  • Evaluation of the post-stroke rehabilitation care pathway across Europe (SUSTAIN-EU project).
  • Review and synthesis of the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI-USA project).
  • Development and global testing of a health information tool, ClinFIT COVID-19, based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).


Clinical Practice
As a senior consultant in rehabilitation medicine, I lead and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to provide patient-centered rehabilitation for individuals with various neurological disabilities in the clinical practice at the University Hospital of Umeå.

Educations & Professional Licensure

  • Senior Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, 2022
  • Associate Professor in Rehabilitation Medicine, 2022
  • Specialist Physician in Rehabilitation Medicine, 2017
  • Licensed Physician in Sweden, 2012
  • Medical Degree, Umeå University, 2009
  • PhD, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, 2003
  • Medical Degree & Physician License in China, 1992


Appointments (Selected)

  • 2025– , Co-Chair, ClinFit Committee, International Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM)
  • 2024– , Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine - Clinical Communications
  • 2024–2025, Reviewer for the Swedish Research Council
  • 2023–2027, Coordinator, Scientific Committee, European Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (ESPRM)
  • 2023–2027, Board Member, ESPRM
  • 2023–2025, Reviewer for the Faculty’s grant applications from the Donation Fund, Umeå University
  • 2019–2027, Chair, Persons with Stroke Working Group, ESPRM
  • 2019–2025, International Liaison and Board Member, the Stroke iSIG (International Special Interest Group), American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM)
  • 2014–2016, Chair of the Residency, Resident Representative, and Board Member, Swedish Society of Rehabilitation Medicine (SFRM)


Awards (Selected)

  • 2022, ACRM Fellow
  • 2017, Top 20 in Venture Cup, Sweden
  • 2017, Innovation Award for Best Idea in Healthcare, Västerbotten County Council
Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical Journals Sweden 2024, Vol. 56
Sefastsson, Annika; Marklund, Ingela; Littbrand, Håkan; et al.
European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Edizioni Minerva Medica 2024, Vol. 60, (2) : 165-181
Zampolini, Mauro; Oral, Aydan; Barotsis, Nikolaos; et al.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 104, (2) : 355-358
Devos, Hannes; Ng, Christi; Santos, Flavia H.; et al.
Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery, Auctores Publishing 2023, Vol. 13, (1)
Elgh, Eva; Hu, Xiao-Lei
NeuroImage: Clinical, Elsevier 2023, Vol. 37
Eriksson, Johan; Nyberg, Lars; Elgh, Eva; et al.
European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Edizioni Minerva Medica 2023, Vol. 59, (2) : 136-144
Marklund, Ingela; Sefastsson, Annika; Fure, Brynjar; et al.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Elsevier 2022, Vol. 103, (9) : 1874-1882
Burns, Suzanne Perea; Fleming, Talya K.; Webb, Sam S.; et al.
Digital Health, Sage Publications 2022, Vol. 8
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Jonzén, Karolina; Karlsson, Marcus; et al.
JMIR Human Factors, JMIR Publications 2022, Vol. 9, (3)
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Jonzén, Karolina; Lindahl, Olof A; et al.
Brain Injury, Taylor & Francis 2022, Vol. 36, (7) : 829-840
Kim, Sonya; Mortera, Marianne; Heyn, Patricia; et al.
European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Elsevier 2022, Vol. 55
Wen, Pey-Shan; Vora, Ariana; Mortera, Marianne; et al.
European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Edizioni Minerva Medica 2022, Vol. 58, (4) : 503-510
Zampolini, Mauro; Selb, Melissa; Boldrini, Paolo; et al.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Elsevier 2021, Vol. 102, (5) : 1035-1039
Akinwuntan, Abiodun; Hu, Xiao-Lei; Terrill, lexandra L.; et al.
Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Vol. 53, (3)
Andersson, Jenni; Stålnacke, Britt-Marie; Sörlin, Ann; et al.
Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery, Auctores 2021, Vol. 10, (1)
Elgh, Eva; Hu, Xiao-Lei
Läkartidningen, Stockholm: Läkartidningen Förlag 2021, Vol. 118
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Stibrant Sunnerhaagen, Katharina
Läkartidningen, Läkartidningen Förlag AB 2021, Vol. 118, (36-37)
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Stibrant Sunnerhaagen, Katharina
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, Elsevier 2021, Vol. 22, (11) : 2281-2288
Kletzel, Sandra L.; Sood, Pallavi; Negm, Ahmed; et al.
Läkartidningen, Stockholm: Läkartidningen Förlag 2021, Vol. 118
Lexell, Jan; Hu, Xiao-Lei
Läkartidningen, Läkartidningen Förlag AB 2021, Vol. 118, (36-37)
Lexell, Jan; Hu, Xiao-Lei
Physiotherapy Research International, John Wiley & Sons 2021, Vol. 26, (2)
Wang, Rongrong; Hu, Xiao-Lei; Zhang, Tong; et al.
Läkartidningen, Xiaolei Hu 2020, (19-20)
Borg, Kristian; Brodda Jansen, Gunilla; Gripenstedt, Ulla-Britt; et al.
Frontiers in Neurology, Frontiers Media S.A. 2020, Vol. 11
Elgh, Eva; Hu, Xiao-Lei
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Mary Ann Liebert 2020, Vol. 26, (8) : 663-665
Kim, Sonya; Capo-Lugo, Carmen; Reed, William R.; et al.
Frontiers in Neurology, Frontiers Media S.A. 2019, Vol. 10
Elgh, Eva; Hu, Xiaolei
Brain Injury, Taylor & Francis 2019, Vol. 33, (4) : 442-455
Kim, Sonya; Mortera, Marianne; Hu, Xiao-Lei; et al.
Journal of Rehabilitation clinical communications, Vol. 2
Magaard, Gustaf; Stålnacke, Britt-Marie; Sörlin, Ann; et al.
PM&R, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2019, Vol. 11, (9) : 996-1003
Schwartz, Jaclyn K.; Capo-Lugo, Carmen E.; Akinwuntan, Abiodun Emmanuel; et al.
The Gerontologist, Oxford University Press 2019, Vol. 59, (6) : E764-E781
Sood, Pallavi; Kletzel, Sandra L.; Krishnan, Shilpa; et al.
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Stibrant Sunnerhagen, Katharina
Läkartidningen, Sveriges läkarförbund 2018, Vol. 115, (51-52)
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Wester, Per; Stibrant Sunnerhagen, Katharina
Läkartidningen, Vol. 115, (51-52)
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Wester, Per; Stibrant Sunnerhagen, Katharina
Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, Elsevier 2018, Vol. 27, (11) : 3224-3235
Magaard, Gustaf; Wester, Per; Levi, Richard; et al.
ACRM 95th Annual Conference, Dallas, TX, USA, 30 Sept – 3 Oct, 2018
Schwartz, Jaclyn; Thomas, Lauren; Belagaje, Samir; et al.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Saunders Elsevier 2017, Vol. 98, (11) : 2347-2349
Hu, Xiaolei; Heyn, Patricia C.; Schwartz, Jaclyn; et al.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 98, (10) : 142-
Kim, Sonya; Mortera, Marianne; Hoffecker, Lilian; et al.
Journal of Medical Engineering & Technology, Taylor & Francis 2016, Vol. 40, (5) : 270-279
Hellström, Thomas; Lindahl, Olof; Bäcklund, Tomas; et al.
Aula Nordica, Umeå: 2016
Hu, Xiaolei
Stroketeamkongress, Umeå, Sverige, 12 oktober, 2016
Hu, Xiaolei
Chicago, USA: 2016
Vuagnat, Hubert; Zaslaer, Nathan; Nguyen, Vu; et al.
Stockholm: Socialstyrelsen 2014
Ertzgaard, Per; Hu, Xiaolei; Levi, Richard
Neuroscience Letters, Elsevier 2010, Vol. 476, (2) : 79-83
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Bergström, Sven-Anders; Brink, Mikael; et al.
European Journal of Neuroscience, Wiley-Blackwell 2004, Vol. 20, (5) : 1177-1188
Hu, Xiao-Lei; Olsson, Tommy; Johansson, Inga-Maj; et al.
Acta Neuropathologica, Springer 2002, Vol. 104, (5) : 462-70
Hu, XiaoLei; Johansson, Inga-Maj; Brännström, Thomas; et al.
Brain Research Protocols, Elsevier 2001, Vol. 7, (1) : 76-85
Hu, Xiaolei; Wester, Per; Brännström, Thomas; et al.
Brain Research, Vol. 849, (1-2) : 175-186
Hu, XiaoLei; Brännström, Thomas; Gu, Weigang; et al.
Magaard, Gustaf; Öhberg, Fredrik; Sörlin, Ann; et al.

Research projects

1 August 2015
1 August 2015
1 January 2014
1 December 2013

I has been teaching since 2010 at the undergraduate level in the Medical Program, Physiotherapy Program, and Occupational Therapy Program. Currently responsible for the Rehab Theme Day in semester 9 of the Medical Program and the advanced national SK course (Specialist Competence Course) in stroke rehabilitation. Supervises projects at the master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels