Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences

Congratulations to faculty Ann Marie Flores, PT, PhD, MS, MA, Certified Lymphedema Therapist for her recent Notice of Award (NOA) for her first R01 proposal. This grant is funded by the National Cancer Institute/NIH and will help serve Dr. Flores and her team research Physical and Functional Improvement via Cancer Rehabilitation Triaging (PIVOT) Trial. The PIVOT Trial will evaluate the efficacy, implementation potential, and cost-effectiveness of a technology-enabled triage system developed and piloted by Dr. Flores’ team. This system connects screening for impairment via patient reported outcomes with an automated triaging and referral system for guideline-concordant referrals to appropriate cancer rehabilitation services. Findings will inform scalable delivery models to implement and optimize value-based cancer survivorship care. Please join us in congratulating Ann Marie on this remarkable achievement! This is an important milestone for her research program and an exciting success for our department.

The Corcos lab had a fantastic time attending the World Parkinson’s Congress 2026 in Phoenix, AZ. This was an inspiring conference that brought researchers and clinicians together with people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. Dr. Daniel Corcos spoke in a plenary session about the evidence for exercise being neuroprotective in Parkinson’s and in a pre-congress session about his collaboration with APDA and BeneKinetic on the development of a free Virtual Exercise Coach designed for people with Parkinson’s. Dr. Corcos also led a roundtable discussion on exercise and neuroprotection and had three posters on exercise training and guidelines.

Congratulations to Dawn S. Brown, PT, DPT, EdD, and her team on receiving a grant from the APTA Academy of Education! This funding will support the development of a learning module building on their previous research focused on adapting and validating two belongingness scales for use in physical therapy education, both in classroom and clinical settings. Congratulations, Dawn, on this well-deserved achievement!

Join us Wednesday June 17th, to hear from student choice speaker Colin Franz, MD, PhD! Colin will talk about his research and experience with nerve injury rehabilitation and restorative strategies. Click the link in our bio for more information and zoom access 🔗

Congratulations to NUPTHMS faculty Emily Becker PT, MS, EdD, NUPTHMS alumni Christopher Wiedman PT, DPT, and colleague Erican Kiernan MOT, DPT, PhD for their publication in the Journal of Healthcare Leadership! The article is titled The Professional Role Identity of Physical Therapists Serving in Senior Leadership Positions, and can be accessed through the linktree in our bio! Congratulations!

Happy Pride Month from NUPTHMS! NUPTHMS celebrates the diversity, strength, and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. This month and every month, we support inclusion, equality, and respect for all, while continuing to foster a community where everyone feels valued, welcomed, and empowered to be themselves.

Congratulations to PTHMS faculty Roberto Lopez-Rosado, Garett Griffith, and Jen Ryan for their recent publication!

In collaboration with pediatric cardiologists Kendra Ward and Alan Wang, and Geographic Information Systems Analyst, Mech Frazier, their work explores how neighborhood conditions influence cardiovascular health in youth.

This work is advancing innovation by linking spatial, social, and physiologic data to better understand health disparities and inform early intervention, identifying that while neighborhood opportunity showed modest associations with some exercise blood pressure measures, body mass index remained the strongest predictor, highlighting the importance of targeted prevention strategies in pediatric populations.

This impactful research helps move the physical therapy profession forward and supports more equitable care for children and families.

Congratulations to David Aaby, MS, Jane E. Sullivan PT, DHS, MS, Carolina Carmona PT, DPT, Justin Drogos, DPT, and Jun Yao, PhD on their recent publication, “Minimum Detectable Change and Minimal Clinically Important Difference for the Box and Block Test and Fugl-Meyer Assessment in Moderate to Severe Chronic Stroke”. Through the use of RCT data from moderate-to-severely impaired chronic stroke patients, the group identified a BBT floor effect and established baseline impairment–specific MDC and MCID values for the BBT and UE-FMA. Click the link in our bio to read!

On this joyous occasion of Eid al-Adha, NUPTHMS extends warm wishes to everyone celebrating around the world. As we commemorate a time rooted in faith, reflection, and generosity, we are reminded of the power of compassion, selflessness, and togetherness within our communities. May this special holiday bring happiness, prosperity, and blessings to you and your loved ones throughout the season and beyond.

Today, NUPTHMS proudly honors Memorial Day as we remember and pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. We reflect with gratitude on their courage, dedication, and legacy, and we honor the families and communities who continue to carry their memory forward.