Rehabilitation Research

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Rehabilitation Research Development Service

• Danielle M. Kerkovich, Ph.D.
• Acting Assistant Director
• Website www.vard.org

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ORGANIZATIONRehab RD Service
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Rehab RD Funding

• Centers of Excellence
• Large group investigators research, training,
  outreach to veterans community at large
• Research Enhancing Award Program
• Support small group of researchers
• Multi-Year Projects
• Single investigator studies
• Multi-site trials for evaluation efficacy
• Pilot Studies
• Collect preliminary data to lead to full project
• Career Development Awards

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Rehab RD FYO3
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Rehab RD Centers of Excellence

• Functional Electrical Stimulation Cleveland
• Restoration of Function in SCI MS West Haven
• Functional Recovery in Chronic SCI Miami
• Medical Consequences of SCI Bronx
• Wheelchair Associated Rehab Technologies
  Pittsburgh
• Bone Joint Rehab Palo Alto
• Rehabilitative Auditory Research Portland
• Limb Loss Prevention Prosthetic Engineering
  Seattle
• Aging Veterans with Vision loss Atlanta
• Innovative Visual Rehab Boston
• Brain Rehab Gainesville
• Rehab Outcomes Research Gainesville
• http//www.vard.org/cent/centers.htm

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Continued Growth in all Career Development
Programs

• Mentored Awards
• Associate Investigator
• Research Career Development
• Advanced Research Career Development
• Continue to seek applications from outstanding
  rehabilitation researchers

Research Career Scientist Program
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Current Initiatives

• BION Technology
• Prosthetics/Orthotics/Orthopedics
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Research Enhancing Award Program (REAP)
• Rehabilitation Enhancing Activity-Dependent
  Plasticity
• Platform Technology Centers

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New Directions BION Technology

• CRADA with Alfred Mann Foundation to
• provide Veterans with promising technological
  
• advances for restoration of function,
  prevention
• of secondary disabilities and amelioration of
  
• pain due to neurologic dysfunction
• Reviewed BION proposals July 2003 Merit Review
• 6 proposals received meritorious scientific
  scores
• 2 more proposals from January 2004
• AMF is in contact with the individual
  investigators to manufacture BIONs that meet
  specific research applications

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Radio Frequency BION System
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Prosthetics/Orthotics/Orthopedics

• November 17-18, 2003 State-of-the-Art Prosthetics
  Workshop
• Approximately 90 attendees from VA, DOD, Academia
   Private Industry
• Secretary Anthony J. Principi gave speech of
  support to group
• This strategic planning meeting has set an agenda
  for the direction of amputee healthcare research
  over the next 10-years
• Will launch major collaborative efforts with
  other federal agencies, non-profits academic
  institutions

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Prosthetics/Orthotics/Orthopedics contd

• Major efforts are currently underway. Workshop
  participants are designing studies in the
  following areas
• Socket design
• Integration of computer technology robotics
  into prosthetic design
• Comparison of low-tech versus high-tech solutions
• Multidisciplinary approaches to function limb
  lengthening, tissue engineering, body power,
  myoelectrics
• Amputation QUERI (with HSRD)
• Potential for wounded (amputee) military
  personnel to return to active duty

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Vocational Rehabilitation

• Impact of Vocational Rehabilitation Programs
  Among Veterans
• Researchers in the field pleased we recognized
  need to target this area
• Enthusiastic response to the Request For
  Proposals
• Scientific Merit Review in January 2004
• Anticipate funding of January submissions and
  September resubmissions

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Research Enhancing Award Program (REAP)
Solicitation

• Researchers are glad to have the opportunity to
  develop formal collaborative partnerships
• Resemble small-scale research centers with a
  specific research focus
• Scientific Merit Review in January 2004

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Rehabilitation Enhancing Activity-Dependent
Plasticity

• In response to the Secretarys request for
  multidisciplinary proactive approaches to
  functional recovery following SCI
• Special program to form new collaborations
  exploring neurobiological issues in SCI, MS
  other conditions leading to loss of neurological
  function
• These research efforts will seek ways to restore
  function fully understand mechanisms underlying
  recovery
• Some involve use of Lokomat
• Scientific Merit Review January 2004 Preliminary
  Results

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LOKOMAT

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Platform Technology Centers

• Represents concerted effort to incorporate
  cutting edge technology used in other venues
  (DOD, entertainment) into rehabilitative care
• Virtual Reality
• Telemedicine
• Nano-, micro, macrotechnology
• Robotics
• Review May 2004

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Future Directions in Rehab RD

• Long-term Care / Quality of Life
• In conjunction with Rosalynn Carter Institute
• Caregiver training program
• Dual Sensory Loss (hearing vision)
• Hearing loss vision loss a major problem among
  aging veterans
• ALS Initiative

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Future Directions in Rehab RD contd

• Pain control management
• Innovative interventions to address problem
• Obesity comorbidities
• In conjunction with several centers
• Balance / Vestibular Dysfunction Rehabilitation
• In conjunction with NASA Biomedical Institute

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Journal of Rehabilitation Research Development

• Primary information dissemination vehicle
• Highest impact factor of any Rehab Res. Journal
• Accepts manuscripts on Rehab Res. From VA,
  non-VA, international
• Scientifically peer-reviewed indexed
• Six issues a year supplements
• JRRD.org

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Rehabilitation Research Development Service

• Danielle M. Kerkovich, Ph.D.
• Acting Assistant Director
• danielle.kerkovich_at_hq.med.va.gov
• Website www.vard.org

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