One of the Country’s Top Recipients of Funding for Rehabilitation-Related Research

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Pittsburgh is among the country's top 5 recipients, in the United States, of rehabilitation-related research funding from the National Institutes of Health.

This means our doctors can give patients access to research, clinical trials, and technology unavailable elsewhere in the region.

And, our research has resulted in advancements in:

  • Diagnostic mechanisms
  • Treatments
  • Rehabilitation therapies

Areas of Interest

  • What happens to the brain after a traumatic injury?
  • Can paralysis be manipulated after a stroke?
  • Can repetitive motion injuries be prevented in wheelchair users?
  • What are the mechanics of lower back pain and how does physical activity affect it?

Physicians and scientists at the Department of PM&R and the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute are partnering with other departments and laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University to find answers to these and other questions.

Learn more about the PM&R's research resources and partnerships.

Current Rehab Research

Some of the rehab-related topics we are currently researching include:

  • The inner workings of the brain
  • Effects of gender on recovery after brain injury
  • Mechanics of movement
  • Robotic aids
  • Neuroprosthetics
  • The role of stem cells in neuromuscular diseases like muscular dystrophy
  • The role of age and degenerative disk diseases

Volunteer for Clinical Research Trials

Often research projects need volunteers.

UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh list clinical research trials on the Office of Clinical Research website. Select “rehabilitation” in the study finder for research in this field.

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