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Announcements

New Doctoral Specialization in Occupational Therapy

Research & Centers

Center for Cerebral Palsy Research

The Center for Cerebral Palsy Research focuses on elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying hand impairment in children with CP, as well as development and testing of new treatments aimed at ameliorating these impairments. Presently we are examining efficacy of constraint-induced movement therapy and Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT).

Movement Science Laboratories

Facilities

The Movement Science laboratories were recently upgraded to cutting edge technology for the study of movement with support from a National Science Foundation Major Instrumentation Grant.

The Motor Learning and Control Lab has a state-of-the-art kinematics (VICON) lab for biomechanical description of human movement. The system is interfaced with two force plates to study center of mass changes associated with gait and other voluntary movements. To study hand motor control, we have Nano and Mini ATI force/torque sensors for measurement of multi-digit fingertip force control, a CyberGlove for monitoring finger motion, a 3-D electromagnetic position-angle sensing system, analog-to-digital data acquisition systems (National Instruments, SC/ZOOM); three 3D motion registration systems (Optotrak), an eyetracker to study hand-eye coordination, and setups for recording surface electromyographic signals and electroencephalographic signals, and a variety of other instruments.

The Appled Exercise Physiology Lab is fully equipped to study non-invasive physiological processes. Equipment includes metabolic measurement systems for functional capacity (VO₂max) and metabolic testing BMR and REE), electrocardiograph machines (ECG) and ECG (oscilloscopes) for the recording of electrocardiogramst, beat-to-beat blood pressure monitors (Finapres and Tonometer) for the recording of beat-to-beat blood pressures, a Doppler Milar probe for contour analysis used on any artery (carotid, radial and femoral) as a noninvasive marker of arteriolar compliance, nitric oxide (NO) analyzers used for the noninvasive determination of nitric oxide in expired gases or body fluids, an echotracker and Tektronix oscilloscope for the noninvasive determination of vascular lumen size changes. These systems are used in conjunction with a computerized Grass polygraph (multichannel) recorder. Other equipment include a beat-to-beat portable (24 hour) blood pressure monitor (Portapres) for ambulatory recordings, a water-seal spirometer and handheld spirometers for the determination of pulmonary function tests, handheld body impedance analysis (BIA) devices for the measurement of body composition and 5 sets of skinfold calipers, blood pressure cuffs and stethoscopes, cycle ergometers, and a data acquisition analysis system (National Instruments).

Please contact the if there is information missing from this list.

In the Spotlight

Welcome new faculty member, Dr. Carol Garber

Dr Carol Ewing Garber is a Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist and an Associate Professor of Movement Science and Education (Applied Physiology). She received a B.S with distinction in Education, and the M.A. and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. Her research focuses on the role of physical activity and exercise in preventing and treating chronic diseases and in promoting successful aging. She has served in leadership positions in many professional and community organizations, currently serving on the Board of Directors for the American College of Sports Medicine and on the Editorial Board of the journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Previously, she was the president of the New England Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine and of the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Heart Association, chairperson of the National Clinical Exercise Physiology Registry and the Rhode Island Governor’s Council on Exercise and Health,. Dr. Garber was an associate editor of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, a contributing author to the ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, and section editor the ACSM Resource Manual to accompany the Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Dr. Garber has published over 55 articles in peer-reviewed journals and peer-reviewed book chapters, and other publications, Prior to joining the faculty at TC in 2007, she served on the faculty at the Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, and at the Brown University Medical School in Providence, RI.

Welcome New Faculty Member, Tara McIsaac

Tara McIsaac, Assistant Professor in the Biobehavioral Sciences Department, earned her degree in Physical Therapy at the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Research in her Neurophysiology and Motor Learning Laboratory focuses on the neurophysiological aspects of movement skill learning, particularly in people with movement disorders such as Parkinson disease. She is particularly interested in how attention and instruction affect the learning and performance of ‘dual-task’ activities, such as driving a car and walking carrying coffee. Dr. McIsaac teaches courses in Motor Learning and Motor Development Across the Lifespan, and professional seminars for Physical and Occupational Therapists on a novel treatment approach for people with Parkinson disease.

News

Recent Dissertation Defenses

Congratulations to the following doctoral students who recently defended their dissertations:

Tom Buckley "Dynamic Postural Stability during Sit-to-Walk Transitions in Parkinson Disease Patients"
Ya-Ching Hung "Movement organization during learning of a multi-joint throwing task"
Panayiotis Constantinides "Comparison of teaching processes in elementary physical education classes taught by specialists and nonspecialists"
Roseann Carpenter, "The effects of acupuncture upon parasympathetic modulation"
Michael Gallucci "The effects of exercise training upon autonomic modulation in COPD"
Marzouk Elythy "24-hour autonomic modulation comparing normotensives versus pre-hypertensives"
Michael Figueroa "The effects of Tai Chi upon autonomic modulation"