Join Dr. Daniel Jupiter on October 24, 2024, for a discussion on the evolving landscape of diabetes and its complications in Texas. This event will explore trends in diabetes-related amputations and other complications, emphasizing how socioeconomic factors like insurance influence these patterns. Dr. Jupiter will also delve into how race, geography, and an aging population impact diabetes outcomes in Texas. His extensive research on lower extremity complications will provide valuable insights for understanding the increasing burden of diabetes in the state.

On September 26, 2024, over 60 faculty, administrators, and staff attended the CHPPRR Lecture series to hear Dr. Latia Hickerson from the UTMB School of Nursing discuss disparities in women's health. Her presentation emphasized how socio-economic, cultural, and biological factors contribute to health inequities throughout women's lives, with a particular focus on maternal health outcomes. Dr. Hickerson introduced a program designed to support justice-involved birthers and highlighted her proposed research to explore the complex factors affecting women's health disparities. As a passionate advocate for women's health, she aims to bridge gaps between clinical care and public health to improve outcomes.

The Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health (CIRWH), the Center for Health Promotion, Performance, and Rehabilitation Research (CHPPRR), and the Sealy Center on Aging (SCOA) are encouraging UTMB investigators to submit pilot research proposals on Women’s Health. Two pilot projects will be co-funded: one by CIRWH and CHPPRR, focusing on women’s health in adolescence, reproductive, or mid-life stages, and the other by CIRWH and SCOA, targeting older women’s health, including post-menopausal stages. Proposals that emphasize Team Science, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and translational research (T1-T4) are prioritized, with a special focus on new investigators. The funding aims to help early-career faculty gather preliminary data for future external funding. Projects will be funded for 10 months, with up to $20,000 in annual direct costs, and must have the necessary IACUC or IRB approvals if applicable.

On Thursday July 25, 2024, 70+ faculty and staff attended the CHPPRR Lecture Series co-sponsored by The CRO (Chief Research Officer) Office to hear Dr. Lisa Brenner discuss connections between mental health and the brain, gut and microbiome. During the lecture, Dr. Brenner explored the relationship between the brain, gut, and microbiome, specifically focusing on individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and co-occurring mental health conditions. She discussed the role of inflammation as a potential mechanism driving both psychiatric symptoms and post-TBI sequelae, the connection between inflammation and the microbiome, and current research efforts investigating probiotics as a potential intervention.

On April 18, 2024, 40 faculty, administrators and staff attended the CHPPRR Lecture series to hear Dr. Michael Davis from Indiana University discuss airway pH homeostasis and the relevance of airway pH and airway pH modulation in asthma. Dr. Davis also discussed how airway pH modulation has been implicated as a potential mechanistic target for antiviral therapy. This may also benefit asthma management since viral respiratory infections are a leading cause of asthma exacerbation. New data was presented on the potential for airway ph modulation as a treatment for viral respiratory infections as well as asthma exacerbations. Information shared on his work during the pandemic and treatment of viral respiratory infections was inspiring.

On March 21, 2024, Wendy L. Bennett, M.D., M.P.H. will present on Pregnancy and Postpartum Opportunities to Prevent Obesity and Promote Health Equity at the March CHPPRR Lecture Series. Dr. Bennett is an Associate Professor of Medicine in The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, with joint appointments in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Departments of Epidemiology and Population, Family and Reproductive Health. Please join us to hear Dr. Bennett discuss pragmatic and hybrid clinical trials of behavioral interventions to promote healthy weight gain in pregnancy and postpartum weight loss. She will present about principles and considerations for pragmatic trial design to inform sustainable and scalable programs using her intervention, Healthy for Two, as an exemplar.

Dr. Carole Tucker and Dr. Missy Morrow cordially invite you to the official opening of the Center for Health Promotion, Performance & Rehabilitation Research. Please join us to explore our labs, learn about available technology and resources, and network with future collaborators in our key focus areas. Be a part of research that moves you!

On January 18, 2024, Brandie DePaoli Taylor, PhD discussed new ways of improving reproductive and pregnancy health by exploring interactions between diseases and social conditions through the application of syndemics theory during the CHPPRR Lecture Series. Dr. DePaoli Taylor received her PhD in reproductive epidemiology from the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh and completed her postdoctoral training in perinatal epidemiology. Her research program, which has been funded by NIH, HRSA, and foundational grants, focuses on improving reproductive health in the population. More recently, her research has focused on social inequality and nativity on risk of reproductive and obstetric complications.

Dr. Missy Morrow, PhD and CHPPRR faculty presented on wearable sensors currently available in CHPPRR that measure body motion, quantify physical activity and loading metrics, and provide insight into the quality of physical function in the real-world. At the Lunch and Learn interactive lecture, attendees were introduced to how wearable sensors can measure and how to apply them to their own research. Dr. Morrow demonstrated the use of the following widely used commercial systems: APDM Opals, Actigraph Activity and Sleep Monitors, and novel® loadsol® sensor.

On November 16, 2023, Patricia Blair, Ph.D., LLM. JD, MSN, CNE, CCHP-RN, CCHP-A presented on Correctional Healthcare delivery at UTMB, its implications for the broader community, and UTMB's unique opportunity to impact health equity and social determinants of health in underserved and marginalized populations in Texas.

Andrew Murton, PhD presented on innovations in the field of metabolic health research, clinical research applications of the metabolic testing resources at UTMB, and opportunities for collaboration in a CHPPRR Lecture Series event titled Metabolic Health Research - Innovations & Opportunities on September 21, 2023 at 12:00 noon in Marie Hall, 4th floor, SHP/SON Bldg and via Microsoft Teams.

Amber Armstead, Dr. PH, OTR, BCPR, Mansoo Ko, PhD and Emily Lantz, PhD presented their CHPPRR funded Pilot Projects in a CHPPRR Lecture Series event CHPPRR Pilot Showcase on July 20, 2023 at 12:00 noon in SHP/SON Bldg Room 1.408 and via Microsoft Teams

Dr. Steven Sutherland presented on the use of Serious Games in research, academics and health care in a CHPPRR Lecture Series event titled Serious Games: How can we use them effectively in our fields on May 18, 2023 at 12:00 noon in Marie Hall, 4th floor SHP/SON Bldg and via Microsoft Teams.

CHPPRR Leadership attended UTMB’s Research Day on May 4, 2023. Missy Morrow, PhD and Judi Linton, MS, PT met with attendees during the Cores and Centers exhibit to showcase the opportunities and resources the center has to offer. CHPPRR researchers, faculty, and residents received training on the use of the center’s new Biodex System 4 Dynamometer in April. The addition of this resource to CHPPRR will allow researchers to evaluate strength, endurance, power and range of motion of all major joints and muscles and collect highly detailed objective data.

Joseph Wenke, PhD, Melissa Morrow, PhD, and Judith Linton, PT, MS presented a CHPPRR Lecture Series event titled Advancing Research Collaborations between UTMB and Shriners Children’s Texas on March 23, 2023 at 12:00 noon in Marie Hall, 4th floor, SHP/SON Bldg.

Dr. Bill Hogan, University of Florida, presented a seminar titled "Building Informatics Infrastructure for Research: The OneFlorida Data Trust as an Exemplar" on January 25, 2023 at 11:00 am in RB6 5.402. Dr. Hogan has done a tremendous amount of work within the health/EMR clinical data research network field. This may be of interest to those in the School of Health Professions (SHP) that are involved in healthcare system work, data and improvement projects.

Richard Lieber, PhD presented on enhancing collaborations between researchers and clinicians in a CHPPRR Lecture Series event titled Enhancing Researcher-Clinician Collaborations in Rehabilitation Medicine – Experiences from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab on January 19, 2023 at 12:00 noon in room 3.200 in the Health Education Center.

Congratulations to SHP Professor and CHPPRR Associate Director Dr. Missy Morrow (Nutrition, Metabolism and Rehabilitation Sciences) for her grant “Clinical Remote Monitoring of Individuals at Risk for Pressure Injury Recurrence utilizing mHealth” from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. This work is important because pressure injuries are one of the most challenging secondary conditions for individuals with spinal cord injuries and related disorders (SCI/D) who use wheelchairs. Dr. Lynne Hughes (Physical Therapy) and Dr. Diane Collins (Occupational Therapy) are Co- Investigators on this project.

The Center for Health Promotion, Performance, and Rehabilitation Research welcomed our first summer College Student Intern, Maggie Farmer. During her time with CHPPRR, she was able to complete a literature review of research surrounding motor awkwardness in children and assist with producing start up guides for some of the equipment in CHPPRR.

The Center for Health Promotion, Performance, and Rehabilitation Research are pleased to announce that Judi Linton, PT, MS has joined the center as the new Center Operations Director.

Congratulations to Dr. Gregory Brusola, DPT, PhD, PT, MSCS and Dr. Mi Jung Lee, PhD, BSOT for their acceptance into the highly competitive Training in Grantsmanship for Rehabilitation Research workshop.

UTMB faculty attend and present their research titled The Effects of COVID-19 Infection on Resistance, Reactance, and Compliance at the American Association for Respiratory Care Congress in New Orleans.

The UTMB Center for Health Promotion, Performance, and Rehabilitation Research (CHPPRR, pronounced ‘Chipper’, formerly CeRPAN) encourages UTMB investigators to submit pilot research proposals related to persons with disability, health inequities, and chronic disease across the lifespan including their families, caregivers, or communities. Proposals from comparative effectiveness and clinical trials, patient-centered outcomes, qualitative studies, population health, and any other area of translational research are welcome.