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Associate Professor of Physiology Department of Basic Medical Sciences, COMP studies the synaptic and hormonal determinants underlying the hypothalamic control of energy balance. Photos are in part for the Western Diabetes Institute
WesternU / College of Health Sciences Northwest / Research / Research Facilities

Research Facilities

CHS Research Space, California

Research is conducted either in the community or in a dedicated research lab located about two miles from campus. The college establishes community partnerships with hospitals, private clinics, outpatient and rehab centers, community agencies, and public and private schools to conduct collaborative research. These valued partnerships provide a robust environment in which to gather significant data on those individuals who can benefit the most from the research results. Studies that require state-of-the art equipment such as for balance testing and gait analysis are conducted in the off-campus lab. Other portable equipment, such as US imaging and surface EMG, is available for use in the community partner’s clinical setting.

Gait analysis with College of Health Sciences physical therapy students led by associate chair Dr. Jeffrey Fairley.

Gait Analysis Lab

In the high tech, state-of-the-art Gait Analysis Lab, CHS students work side-by-side with faculty to gain hands-on experience in studying the science of body in walking motion. Other classes in this lab allow for interprofessional experiences and learning (including the College of Podiatric Medicine) that can bring quality of life and a higher level of physical performance.

CHS-Northwest Research Space, Oregon

The CHS-Northwest building houses a large, shared research space that can be flexibly transformed to meet the needs of each research project. This modern space contains a plethora of sophisticated equipment used for video- and sensor-based movement analysis, surface EMG studies, isokinetic strength measurements, gait analysis and balance evaluations. It also has dedicated room for anatomical research, equipped with a 3D printer.

A group of people standing in front of a camera in a room.

Physical Therapy Trunk Research

The long-term goal of this research is to determine the efficacy of adapting and utilizing the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo) for evaluation and intervention for trunk control impairments in adult populations. The SATCo provides a systematic method of assessing discrete levels of trunk control in children with motor disabilities. It has been shown to have excellent to good reliability and validity for typical infants and for children with a variety of diagnoses. Adults who lack independent sitting are often excluded from research and intervention due to challenges with posture control and there are currently no outcome measures for partial trunk control in the adult population. The aims of this study will address barriers to use of SATCo in adults and determine the clinical relevance and applicability of a segmental approach for adults with neurologic deficits.