| | | Current Studies | | Current projects include topics related to: Aging Mobility Jonathan Bean, MD, MS Dr. Bean's research focuses upon the amelioration and prevention of mobility related disability among older adults. His current research focuses on identifying modifiable impairments underlying mobility decline in the elderly, as well as developing rehabilitative interventions to prevent mobility related disability among at risk populations, such as those with musculoskeletal disorders. He has expertise in exercise physiology, human performance and epidemiology. His work is funded through both the National Institutes of Health and Private Foundations. Cardiovascular Research J. Andrew Taylor, PhD The cardiovascular research program is focused on the study of changes in cardiovascular function associated with healthy aging and age related diseases. Current studies are investigating the mechanisms of these changes as well as interventions such as exercise and statin treatment to prevent or overcome cardiovascular declines associated with coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke. Assistive Technologies Brain-Computer Interfaces Dr. Hochberg is working on the BrainGate Neural Interface System to determine whether individuals with quadriplegia might be able to control a computer cursor by thought alone. The studies are recruiting people with spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, muscular dystrophy, and ALS. Brain Injury Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Mel Glenn, MDGary Strangman, PhDTherese O'Neil-Pirozzi, ScD Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital has been awarded a five-year Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (TBIMS) grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education. The grant supports the participation of Spaulding in a nationwide database collecting a broad variety of data from TBI patients to build a better understanding of the dynamics of this condition. Spaulding TBI research also includes comparing functional imaging during use of a memory strategy in people with TBI, evaluating the ability of functional imaging in people with TBI to predict the outcome of a memory rehabilitation program, and analyzing the association between cerebral cortical volume and memory, and study outcomes of people with both TBI and SCI. Details at: TBI Model SystemsBurn Survivors Jeffery Schneider, MD Dr. Schneider is conducting a study examining the effects of a large-scale fire on the survivor population. He is looking particularly at the medicinal, psychological, social, occupational, functional and legal impacts of the fire on its survivors. Motion Analysis Paolo Bonato, PhD Spaulding's Motion Analysis Laboratory combines laboratory and field assessments to enhance mobility in individuals with mobility limiting conditions caused by age, illness, or trauma. Research topics include cerebral palsy, enhancing balance impairment, treatment of drop foot, gait retraining for victims of stroke and brain injury, restoration of gait to amputees, and biomechanical analysis of Tae Kwan Do. Muscle Cell Research Dr. Lisa S. Krivickas Muscle Cell Lab Dr. Jeffrey Widrick is investigating mechanisms underlying contractile dysfunction during muscle atrophy, injury, and disease. Current projects use single fiber and whole muscle preparations to understand contraction-induced muscle damage, improve functional recovery from prolonged physical inactivity, and develop treatments for muscular dystrophies. Spinal Cord Injury Leslie Morse, DO Dr. Morse is working on project funded by NIH and the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network entitled "Neuro-Osteogenic Interactions Following Spinal Cord Injury". The purpose of this project is to investigate the pathophysiology of bone loss associated with human neurological disorders, including spinal cord injury. Shanker Nesathurai, MD Dr. Nesathurai received a research gift from The Lynch Foundation. With this gift Dr. Neasthurai has been involved in primate research with the New England Primate Research Center. Pradeep Suri, MD Dr. Suri is conducting research on the epidemiology of degenerative lumbar spinal disorders, which is funded by NIH. His work involves the identification of traditional and novel risk factors associated with pathoanatomic spinal degeneration and functional limitations in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Gen 3 cohorts. |
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