Credit: Kessler Foundation
East Hanover, NJ – January 17, 2018 – Guang Yue, PhD, director of Human Performance and Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation, has been awarded a $735,000 grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). This five-year grant funds an Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Project in Rehabilitation Neuroscience and Engineering. The project aims to improve overall health and function of individuals with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal (NM-MSK) diseases and injuries by training doctoral-level researchers committed to advancing the field of rehabilitation.
"The need for rehabilitation scientists continues to grow, underscoring the increasing demand for postdoctoral research training programs," stated Dr. Yue. "Fellowship training at Kessler Foundation allows talented postdoctoral fellows to gain research experience while learning the skills necessary to pursue a career in a rehabilitation-related field. Our fellows complete at least one independent research project and two collaborative research projects studies, with access to the latest technologies, such as robotics, virtual reality, 3-D printing, and brain imaging. They have opportunities to present their findings to professional and consumer audiences, and submit papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Most importantly, they participate in writing extramural grant proposals, including their own grant applications," he emphasized.
In 2017, five aspiring researchers joined the postdoctoral fellowship training program at Kessler Foundation, which has launched the careers of many leaders in rehabilitation research. More than 30 former fellows conduct research in Europe, India, South America, and major universities in the U.S., as well as at Kessler Foundation. The impact of their training can be measured by their success in obtaining funding, and their many contributions to the field including publications, academic appointments, and subsequent leadership positions.
"By funding these fellowships, the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research supports the education of specially trained scientists who can conduct rigorous clinical studies aimed at improving the lives of people recovering from serious illnesses and injuries," said Steven Kirshblum, MD, chair of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, senior medical officer of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, and the Foundation's chief medical officer. "Kessler Foundation, in partnership with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, provides the ideal environment for inspiring young professionals to pursue meaningful and productive careers in rehabilitation research."
Funding source: NIDILRR grant 90ARHF0002
About Fellowship Training at Kessler Foundation
Since 1990, the Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program at Kessler Foundation has received substantial funding from federal and state agencies, private foundations, professional societies, and academic institutions. Through a partnership with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, the program solicits and enrolls postdoctoral fellows from biomedical sciences and clinical rehabilitation disciplines, including biomechanics, physiology, psychology, psychiatry, neurology, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation engineering fields. The program prioritizes applicants from the fields of physical medicine rehabilitation, rehabilitation sciences and rehabilitation engineering, where the need for research training is intense.
Funders include: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, National Stroke Association, National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, NJ Commission on Brain Injury Research, NJ Commission on Spinal Cord Injury Research, Hearst Foundations, Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, Progressive MS Alliance, American Psychological Foundation, MS Collaborative Network of NJ, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, National Science Foundation, US Department of the Navy, US Department of Defense, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Mental Health Research Association, Consortium of MS Centers, Kessler Foundation, and several universities and pharmaceutical companies.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes–including employment–for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation also leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
About Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Founded in 1954, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School is the oldest school of medicine in the state. Today it is part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and graduates approximately 170 physicians a year. In addition to providing the MD degree, the school offers MD/PhD, MD/MPH and MD/MBA degrees through collaborations with other institutions of higher education. Dedicated to excellence in education, research, clinical care and community outreach, the medical school comprises 22 academic departments and works with several healthcare partners, including its principal teaching hospital, The University Hospital. Its faculty consists of numerous world-renowned scientists and many of the region's "top doctors." Home to the nation's oldest student-run clinic, New Jersey Medical School hosts more than 50 centers and institutes, including the Public Health Research Institute Center, the Global Tuberculosis Institute and the Neurological Institute of New Jersey.
For more information please visit: njms.rutgers.edu.
For more information on Kessler Foundation's research, visit KesslerFoundation.org.
Facebook | http://www.facebook.com/KesslerFoundation
Twitter | twitter.com/KesslerFdn
YouTube | http://www.youtube.com/user/KesslerFoundation
iTunes & SoundCloud | soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation
Contacts:
Carolann Murphy, PA; 973-324-8382; [email protected]
Laura Viglione, MS; 973-323-3675; [email protected]
Media Contact
Carolann Murphy
[email protected]
973-324-8382
@KesslerFdn
http://www.KesslerFoundation.org