Category: Research

Category: Research

Boston University Presentations at 2024 AOTA Inspire Conference

Sargent faculty, students, and alumni from the Department of Occupational Therapy were presenters at this year’s AOTA Inspire Conference. The conference provided Boston University and the broader occupational therapy community a wonderful opportunity to learn with and from each other, and to connect to discuss innovations in professional practice.   Congratulations to our faculty, students, […]

Music and Rhythm-based Technology Helps Stroke Survivors Improve Walking Ability in Nationwide Clinical Trial

Pivotal clinical trial achieved primary endpoint: Use of InTandemTM neurorehabilitation system resulted in a clinically meaningful and significant increase in walking speed for stroke survivors Compared to an Active Control, individuals randomized to InTandem were three times more likely to be responders Nearly 800,000 Americans experience a stroke each year, making it a leading cause […]

PhD Students Receive Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award

Sargent speech, language & hearing sciences PhD students Erin Carpenter and Michael Scimeca received the prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) from the National Institutes of Health. Erin is a member of the Aphasia Research Laboratory, and her research interests include bilingual and monolingual aphasia rehabilitation, neural […]

What Are the Top Contaminated Foods? Quoting Joan Salge Blake

(1/6/24, MSNBC) Expert Quote: These facts may be alarming to hear, but know that the food system in the United States is relatively safe, thanks to the Food Safety Initiative, which began in 1997, says Joan Salge Blake, RDN, a clinical professor in the department of health sciences at Boston University. “This program coordinates the research, inspection, outbreak response, […]

Soft, Wearable Robot Helps a Person with Parkinson’s to Walk Without Freezing; Quoting Terry Ellis

(1/8/24, ReachMD) Expert Quote: “Because we don’t really understand freezing, we don’t really know why this approach works so well,” said Ellis. “But this work suggests the potential benefits of a ‘bottom-up’ rather than ‘top-down’ solution to treating gait freezing. We see that restoring almost-normal biomechanics alters the peripheral dynamics of gait and may influence […]

Wearable robot tackles Parkinson’s symptoms to aid walking and restore independence; Quoting Terry Ellis

(1/8/24, Institution of Mechanical Engineers) Expert Quote: The symptom is treated with a range of pharmacological, surgical and behavioural therapies – “none of which are particularly effective”, the researchers said. Their work demonstrates the potential of soft robotics to treat the frustrating and potentially dangerous symptom instead. It could allow people living with the disease […]

Robotic suit may help patients with Parkinson’s overcome freezing; Quoting Terry Ellis

(1/8/24, UPI) Expert Quote: “Because we don’t really understand freezing, we don’t really know why this approach works so well,” said researcher Terry Ellis, director of the Center for Neurorehabilitation at Boston University. “But this work suggests the potential benefits of a ‘bottom-up’ rather than ‘top-down’ solution to treating gait freezing,” Ellis continued. “We see that […]

Researchers develop robotic wearable device to improve walking for individual with Parkinson’s disease; Quoting Terry Ellis

(1/9/24, The Engineer) Expert Quote: The symptom is treated with a range of pharmacological, surgical and behavioural therapies – “none of which are particularly effective”, the researchers said. Their work demonstrates the potential of soft robotics to treat the frustrating and potentially dangerous symptom instead. It could allow people living with the disease to regain […]

Robotic Exosuit Can Eliminate ‘Freezing’ That Comes With Parkinsons; Quoting Terry Ellis

(1/8/24, U.S. News & World Report) Expert Quote: “Because we don’t really understand freezing, we don’t really know why this approach works so well,” said researcher Terry Ellis. “But this work suggests the potential benefits of a ’bottom-up’ rather than ’top-down’ solution to treating gait freezing,” Ellis continued. “We see that restoring almost-normal biomechanics alters the […]

Plant Enzymes Can Turn Sugar to Fiber – Joan Salge Blake quoted

(12/28/23, The Food Institute) Expert quote: “The nutrient quality of foods in a diet are key to helping folks reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, stroke, and diabetes. Magically turning sugar into fiber isn’t going to ensure that the diet is healthy and meeting a person’s long-term health needs.” – Clinical Professor of […]

Recent PhD Alumni Erin Meier and Liz Heller Murray Earn Prestigious ASHA Awards

Each year, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) honors a select group of outstanding recent PhD graduates to receive the Award for Early Career Contributions in Research. This accolade is designed to acknowledge “significant scientific accomplishments by individuals” beyond their training. We are so pleased that this year, two alumni of our PhD program in Speech, […]

The Future of MedRhythms for Stroke Survivors, Quoting Lou Awad

(07/14/2023, Portland Press Herald) When humans – regardless of whether they’ve had a stroke or other neurological impairment – hear a rhythm, the brain begins predicting when the next beat is going to “hit.” The motor and auditory systems subconsciously synchronize. -Lou Awad, Associate Professor, Physical Therapy and director of the Neuromotor Recovery Lab

PT Labs Host Medway High Students to Celebrate National Biomechanics Day

Sargent welcomed students from Medway High School to celebrate National Biomechanics Day last month. Students were introduced to biomechanics research and careers, touring our space and interacting with technology in our Human Adaptation Lab and Movement & Applied Imaging Lab. The group of Medway High students were invited to BU after winning 1st Place in […]

Boston University Sargent College and the Travis Roy Foundation Announce $1M Gift for Endowed Scholarship Fund

Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College and the Travis Roy Foundation are pleased to announce the creation of the Travis M. Roy Endowed Scholarship Fund, established through a $1 million gift from the Foundation. Honoring the life and legacy of the late Travis Roy, the Fund will provide annual scholarship awards […]