Dr. Lai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), within the Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. He has been conducting exercise research for people with disabilities for 8 years under the UAB / Lakeshore Foundation Research Collaborative. He completed his doctoral training and a postdoctoral fellowship at UAB, within the Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Health Professions. He further completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine. He has over a decade of experience in clinical exercise training among various groups of people with physical and cognitive disabilities.
Dr. Lai served on the board of the North American Federation for Adapted Physical Activity for several years and is a member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, and the American College of Sports Medicine.
Dr. Lai’s research interests focus on incorporating technology to provide enjoyable and accessible, evidence-based exercise programs for people with disabilities. Particular areas of interest include active video gaming, wearable monitoring devices, and therapeutic exercise with music.
