2024 MR3 Network Scientific Retreat

Catalyzing Transdisciplinary Research to Develop Innovative Rehabilitation Approaches with Lasting Impacts

Held September 19 and 20, 2024

MR3 Network's fourth annual scientific retreat was presented via Zoom on September 19 and 20, 2024. Building on discussions from last year’s retreat, the 2024 Retreat aimed to change the rehabilitation research landscape by developing novel transdisciplinary strategies to sustain and improve function once individuals return to their lived environments.

Complete program with presentation abstracts and speaker biographies (downloadable PDF)

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Keynote Speakers

Diana W. Bianchi, M.D.

Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Diana W. Bianchi oversees the institute's research on pediatric health and development, maternal and reproductive health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and rehabilitation medicine, among other areas. These efforts include managing a staff of approximately 1,400 people and an annual budget of approximately $1.75 billion. Dr. Bianchi has had a busy tenure since joining NICHD in 2016. She spearheaded efforts on the NICHD Strategic Plan, released in September 2019, which outlined goals and aspirations to guide institute research. It is currently undergoing a refresh for the years 2025 through 2030. She also oversaw the crafting and vetting of the institute’s new vision statement—Healthy Pregnancies. Healthy Children. Healthy and Optimal Lives—as well as its new mission statement. The latter, generated alongside the strategic plan, underscores NICHD’s directive since its founding—to lead research and training to understand human development—and incorporates goals for all facets of NICHD—to improve reproductive health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all.

Michael L. Boninger, M.D.

Dr. Michael Boninger is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. He has joint appointments in the Departments of Bioengineering, Rehabilitation Science and Technology, and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute as well as the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine. He is also the Associate Dean for Sustainability in the School of Medicine and responsible for running the school’s Office of Sustainability in Medicine. Finally, he is the Chief Medical Sustainability Officer for UPMC. In these sustainability roles, Dr. Boninger is working to reduce the carbon footprint of UPMC and the School of Medicine and increase education and engagement in climate health. Dr. Boninger has an extensive publication record of well over 300 peer-reviewed papers and has receive substantial funding from numerous agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. His central research focus is on enabling increased function and participation for individuals with disabilities through development and application of assistive, rehabilitative, and regenerative technologies. Dr. Boninger’s students have won over 50 national awards. Dr. Boninger holds 4 United States patents and has received numerous honors, including being inducted into the National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine) of the National Academy of Science.

Agenda and Video Archive

Day 1: Thursday, September 19, 2024

Welcome

Rick Segal, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA

Medical University of South Carolina

Keynote Session

Session Moderator: Rick Segal, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA

Introduction

Ralph Nitkin, Ph.D.

Changing Paradigms of Care: Lessons Learned from the Prenatal Space

Diana W. Bianchi, M.D.
Director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institutes of Health

Session 1: Clinician Research and Community Engagement–Capacity Building

Session Moderator: Miriam Rafferty, Ph.D., DPT, PT

Fueling Innovation: Catalyst Grants Spark Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research

Bridget Fowler King, PT, DPT, MS

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

It's All About Communication! Teaching Researchers to Talk to Clinical Collaborators

Melissa Briody, MOT, OTR/L, MS

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Intentional Inclusion of Navigator Scientists to Enhance the Relevance and Sustainability of Peer Support Interventions

Susan Magasi, Ph.D.

University of Illinois, Chicago

Development of a Central Research Infrastructure that Supports Interdisciplinary Clinical Research and the Adoption of Evidence-Based Practices in the Healthcare Settings

Henry Hrdlicka, Ph.D.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare

Session 2: Augmented Therapy–Rehabilitation Technology

Session Moderator: Amrita Sahu, Ph.D.

Insights from Implementing Wearable Technologies for Stroke Rehabilitation Outside Research Laboratories

Abed Khorasani, Ph.D.

Northwestern University

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired With Physical Therapy to Promote Mobility Rehabilitation in Chronic Ischemic Stroke

Matthew Picard-Fraser, PT, DPT

MGH institute of Health Professions

Soft Wearable Robot that Provides Anti-Gravity Arm Support Improves Upper Limb Movement Quality in Individuals Post-Stroke

Prabhat Pathak, Ph.D.

Harvard University

Session 3: Clinician Research and Community Engagement–Caregiver Engagement and Education

Session Moderator: Jessica Edelstein, Ph.D., OTR

"Rehabbing the Couple:" Supporting Couples Coping with Stroke through a Novel Dyadic Intervention

Alexandra Terrill, Ph.D.

University of Utah

Self-Compassion-Based Resilience Habits Course for Caregivers of Children with Physical Disabilities

Christine Lathren, M.D., MSPH

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Trial Ready: Informing a Mobility Intervention Trial for Infants with Down Syndrome

Ashley Collimore, Ph.D.

Boston University

Session 4: Clinician Research and Community Engagement–Patient Engagement and Education

Session Moderator: Allen Heinemann, Ph.D.

Game On! CP Soccer Intensive Camp to Promote Self-Efficacy, Positive Attitudes Towards Physical Activity, and Fitness among Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

Katherine Dimitropoulou, Ph.D., OTR/L, MA, MSPOR

Columbia University

A Novel 'Test-Drive' Strategy for Prosthetic Foot Prescription Using a Robotic Prosthetic Foot Emulator

David Morgenroth, M.D.

University of Washington

A Transdisciplinary Collaborative Study of mTBI and Chronic Pain Using iTBS and Yoga

Amy Herrold, Ph.D.

Edward Hines, Jr., VA Hospital

Session 5: Clinician and Research Community Engagement–Education

Session Moderator: Corey Morrow, Ph.D., OTR/L

Emphasis on Parent Education and Engagement in Research to Increase Physical Activity Engagement for Ambulatory Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

Mara Yale, Ph.D., GCFP, SEP

Massachusetts General Hospital

Rehabilitation & Engineering Center for Optimizing Veteran Engagement & Reintegration (RECOVER): Transdisciplinary Collaborations to Drive Change in Participation in Veterans

Andrew Hansen, Ph.D.

Minneapolis VA Health Care System, University of Minnesota

Walking Exercise Sustainability through Telehealth for Veterans with Lower-Limb Amputation

Cory Christiansen, PT, Ph.D.

VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System

Funding Agency Representatives Question and Answer Session

Day 2: Friday, September 20, 2024

Welcome

Rick Segal, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA

Medical University of South Carolina

Keynote Session

Session Moderator: Rick Segal, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA

Building Innovative, Lasting, Interprofessional Teams: What I Have Learned from Others

Michael L. Boninger, M.D.

Distinguished Professor and Dean for Sustainability, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
Chief Medical Sustainability Officer, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Session 6: Augmented Therapy–Rehabilitation Technology

Session Moderator: Warren Lo, M.D.

Cross-Disciplinary Study of the Neural Basis of Rehabilitation Outcomes with Virtual Reality: A Preliminary Investigation

Neha Mehta, PT, Ph.D.

New York University

The WeeBot: Development of a Unique Powered Mobility Device for Very Young Infants through Transdisciplinary Collaboration

Sharon Stansfield, Ph.D., MSE

Ithaca College

Learning to Explore and Exploring to Learn: Understanding Powered Mobility Use in Toddlers with Disabilities

Kim Ingraham, Ph.D.

University of Washington

Session 7: Transdisciplinary Rehabilitation