Venugopal Balasubramanian, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Associate Professor
Department of Speech-Language Pathology

A seemingly simple transition from Linguistics, with a focus on psycholinguistics, to the field of speech and hearing sciences and disorders in my early academic career proved to be transformative. I was exposed to broader perspectives on the multidimensionality of neurogenic disorders of language and speech. A chance encounter with A.R. Luria’s works Higher Cortical Functions in Man (1962) and Traumatic Aphasia: Its Syndromes, Psychology and Treatment (1970) had not only left a deep impression in me but also introduced me to cognitive models of language functions derived from lesion data. His use of case reports, case series, and group designs for empirical research in solving clinical problems was equally impressive to me. Subsequently, my first doctoral dissertation in linguistics (1981) used a case-series analysis of aphasic data to infer the principles of organization of the mental lexicon.

My arrival in the U.S in the early 80’s for my doctoral work in the University at Buffalo, NY, created enormous opportunities to learn about Cognitive Science/Modularity of mind and Neuroscience. My academic preparation at UB (1981-86) had solidified my views on the cognitive and neural bases of language. This perspective is explored in my dissertation: Comprehension of Ambiguous sentences in brain damaged adults (1986).  Since graduation in 1986, I became active in many research bodies/societies. Chiefly among them were Theoretical and Experimental Neuropsychology (TENNET), Academy of Aphasia (AOA), International Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics Association (ICPLA), Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS), International Neuropsychological Society (INS), and Society for the Neurobiology of Language. My more recent affiliation includes the World Federation of Neurology, and World Stroke Organization. I was/am not only an active participant but also frequent contributor in the annual/bi-annual meetings of these bodies. My peer-reviewed research publications have appeared in Brain and Language, Brain and Cognition, Journal of Neurolinguistics, Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Journal of Neurological Sciences, and International Journal of Stroke. 

Currently, I am affiliated with Seton Hall University (since 1998). I teach courses on neuroscience, aphasia, traumatic brain injury, and Research project I & II. I assist graduate and undergraduate/high school student-research in neurogenic disorders of language and cognition. In the past, I mentored three doctoral students in their research. I direct a research lab, Communication Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Laboratory (CNARL). Also, I taught several doctoral-level seminars in the past. My areas of research interests include the following: the status of language and cognition in aphasia and traumatic brain injury, model-based treatment of aphasia, prosodic processing in brain damaged adults, neurological and cognitive- aspects of speech production in apraxia of speech, and neurogenic stuttering, and cognitive model-based analysis of dyslexias and dysgraphias. Of late, I have developed interest in the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (t DCS) in treating acquired language disorders in adults.

During 1987-1990, I had an opportunity to work with adults with neurogenic disorders of language, speech, and cognition in sub-acute and rehab hospitals in the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. As a result of my exposure to multiple perspectives on aphasia, I currently combine neoclassical syndromic approach, cognitive neuropsychology, and social-functional approaches in teaching a graduate course on aphasia. I am nationally certified (CCC-SLP) by ASHA and locally licensed to practice in the state of NJ (1998 -).