MOVCENTR E-Newsletter | August 2022
The newsletter features stories from the Junior Investigators, the Pilot Project Awardees, the Research Cores, and COBRE collaborators.
- published: 2022/08/22
- contact: Jessica Hilt - Biomechanics
- email: jessicahilt@unomaha.edu
GRANTS GRANTS GRANTS!
Once again, the summer has been a busy time for the MOVCENTR. Faculty members recently received multiple state-wide Nebraska University Collaboration grants. Two of them are featured this month. The rest will be featured over the next several months.
Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomechanics and Research Project Leader in COBRE Phase II, Dr. Carolin Curtze, received $150,000 for her project titled: Brain Signal Oscillations During Gait in Parkinson's Disease: Potential for Treatment
Project Focus: While therapeutic deep brain stimulation (DBS) is effective in ameliorating movement and non-movement symptoms associated with advanced Parkinson’s disease, the effects of DBS on walking are less clear. To study the neural control of walking, the project uses implanted neurostimulation devices sensing brain activity in the subthalamic nucleus and wireless movement sensors. By decoding the electrophysiological brain rhythms associated with control of walking, it is possible to develop adaptive and dynamic DBS to improve walking function in people with Parkinson’s disease. This study, which is led by Carolin Curtze, PhD (UNO MOVCENTR), is in collaboration with Aviva Abosch, MD, PhD (UNMC Department of Neurosurgery).
Associate Professor in the Department of Biomechanics and Research Project Leader in COBRE Phase I, Dr. Mukul Mukherjee, received $40,000 for his project titled: Tactile-augmented walking in stroke survivors: biomechanics and brain control.
Project Focus: The major question that is being asked in this study is the following. Can stroke survivors walk better with vibration devices in their shoes? This is based on the thinking that after a stroke, it becomes difficult to sense what is below the feet during different walking tasks. We are also studying how the brain changes when something touches your feet like when you walk on pebbles. The project supports an exciting new intercampus collaboration between experts in tactile augmentation (Dr. Barlow, UNL), human brain mapping (Dr. Wang, UNL), rehabilitation engineering (Dr. Nelson, UNL), biostatistics (Dr. Cheng, UNMC), clinical neurology (Dr. Fayad, UNMC) and walking biomechanics and stroke rehabilitation (Dr. Mukherjee, UNO).
STORIES
The International Society of Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR) in Montreal, Canada
Several faculty and students went to the ISPGR World Congress 2022 Conference over the summer! ISPGR is for scientists, researchers, clinicians, and students from around the world involved in the many research and practical aspects of Gait and Posture. Dr. Aaron Likens and doctoral students, Tyler Wiles and Anaelle Charles presented a workshop on "Univariate and bivariate fractal methods for movement science.”
Mr. Wiles’ comments about ISPGR:
“It was also great to make connections with potential collaborators early in their academic career, catch up with old friends, and meet researchers in person that you may read about in papers or Twitter. I always find it fun to learn about studies focusing on small details about ourselves and the world that unexpectedly have a large impact on how I perceive the environment. For example, one group was investigating gait while stepping down from curbs or stairs. At a certain walking speed or curb height, an individual will transition from toe to heel contact depending on if they choose to continue their momentum or not. I cannot unsee it in others or myself now!”
International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC)
The International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government agencies, and academic communities to foster innovation and discovery onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Doctoral student, Takashi Sado won best student poster presentation at the 11th Annual ISSRDC!
Mr. Sado’s comments about ISSRDC:
“I had the privilege to attend #ISSRDC 2022 to represent our multi university collaborative project, Modular Robotics for Assessing Position Perception in Astronauts during Long Duration Space Missions. I felt very blessed and honored to be awarded for best student poster presentation. Mere student like me, being able to attend this conference was so stimulating and encouraging. Truly amazing experience!”
EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, & OUTREACH
Biomechanics Open House
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