Learn more about the problems that our faculty innovators are attempting to solve through their research, below. Bruce Adcock, M.Ed, RRT, RRT-NPS, CHSE "Respiratory Therapy students benefit from an educational program that is interprofessional and incorporates technology to enhance the learning experience." Mr. Adcock's Faculty Bio Benjamin Brightwell, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT, PhD(c) "People recovering from lower extremity fractures need to optimize their mobility and physical function during recovery in a way that promotes their physical activity, improves overall health, and enhances quality of life."Dr. Brightwell's Research Dr. Brightwell's Faculty Bio Gregory Brusola, DPT, PhD, PT, MSCS "People living with neurodegenerative disease like multiple sclerosis need more accurate and sensitive methods to assess their motor functioning to help inform their decisions for medical and rehabilitation care."Dr. Brusola's Research Dr. Brusola's Faculty Bio Carol A Carman, PhD "Measuring the criteria we value and doing so effectively helps us to better understand how to meet the needs of an inclusive environment in our educational communities. Creating, selecting, and using instruments in a methodologically and statistically appropriate manner improves proportional identification of diverse gifted students. Increasing representation of unrepresented minority faculty increases unrepresented minority student success across multiple measures."Dr. Carman's ResearchDr. Carman's Faculty Bio Tony Chao, PhD "People who experience heart and lung conditions are functionally limited in performing their daily tasks and need a strategy to improve their capacity to function independently and participate in their community."Dr. Chao's Research Dr. Chao's Faculty Bio Crystal Clark Douglas, PhD, RDN/LD "Women across the lifespan need a way to improve nutritional status in a manner that encourages sustainable dietary behaviors and enhanced quality of life."Dr. Douglas's Research Dr. Douglas's Faculty Bio Adrianna L. Ellis, PT, DPT, GCS "Students and faculty of Health Professions need to self-assess, improve, and comply with today’s cultural competence and cultural humility to foster positive, respectful, collaborative, and safer learning and working environments." Dr. Ellis' Faculty Bio Muneeza Esani, PhD, MHP, MLS(ASCP) "Certified medical laboratory scientists need a way to reduce laboratory testing and reporting errors to provide better quality lab results."Dr. Esani's Research Dr. Esani's Faculty Bio Laurie Farroni, DPT, PT, PCS "Community organizations need sustainable partnerships with academic health centers to promote health and wellbeing for underserved populations and to draw developing health professions students into advocacy work." Dr. Farroni's Faculty Bio Steven R. Fisher, PhD, PT, GCS "Older women with urinary incontinence need a way to treat their condition without increasing falls, enabling safe participation in the activities they enjoy."Dr. Fisher's Research Dr. Fisher's Faculty Bio Rebecca Galloway, PT, PhD, GCS, CEEAA "Input from patient, caregiver, and community stakeholders is necessary to optimize person-centered research and comprehensive care for families experiencing challenges associated with dementia."Dr. Galloway's Research Dr. Galloway's Faculty Bio Jyothi Gupta, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA "Access to a variety of everyday occupations is a health determinant for societal health and wellbeing. Understanding and identifying strategies to overcome the contextual barriers to full participation in community life for marginalized groups is essential to address health disparities and social inclusion."Dr. Gupta's Research Dr. Gupta's Faculty Bio Claudia Hilton, PhD, OTR, MBA, FAOTA "Learning new ways of thinking and problem-solving are important for autistic people to be able to participate in a wide range of activities and improve their quality of life."Dr. Hilton's Research Dr. Hilton's Faculty Bio Lynne Hughes, PhD, PT, OCS, MTC "Older adults need a way to reverse postural changes related to aging in a way that reduces physical decline and improves quality of life."Dr. Hughes's Research Dr. Hughes's Faculty Bio Riqiea F Kitchens, PhD, OTR, BCPR, CSRS "Survivors of stroke need strategies to manage their stroke risk factors in ways that are informed, efficacious, and effective in order to improve self-management and decrease risk of recurrent stroke."Dr. Kitchens's Research Dr. Kitchen's Faculty Bio Mansoo Ko, PhD "People recovering from brain injury need a way to regain walking ability, allowing them to engage in community activities."Dr. Ko's Research Dr. Ko's Faculty Bio Emily Lantz PhD "Aging adults need accessible and effective nutrition and exercise-based interventions to help preserve their physical function, especially during periods of illness or following an injury."Dr. Lantz's Research Dr. Lantz's Faculty Bio Mi Jung Lee, PhD, OT "Clinicians and stakeholders need a way to identify patients at risk for functional decline, falls, and unwarranted institutionalization in order to support strategies and policies that foster independent living."Dr. Lee's Research Dr. Lee's Faculty Bio Chih-ying "Cynthia" Li, PhD, OTR "Individuals living with disabilities need high-value continuity of post-acute rehabilitation to achieve optimal functional recovery and reduce risks of adverse health events such as costly readmissions."Dr. Li's Research Dr. Li's Faculty Bio Elizabeth Lyons, PhD, MPH "Older women need a way to improve physical function in a way that is engaging and encourages sustained walking habits."Dr. Lyons's Research Dr. Lyons's Faculty Bio Karthik Mani, OTD, OTR, FACOT "Sociopolitical factors, population demographics, and workforce trends influence a profession and the population it serves. Hence, they need to be monitored and examined to ensure need-based and equitable access to care for all."Dr. Mani's Research Dr. Mani's Faculty Bio Janna McGaugh, ScD, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT "Physical Therapy students need a curriculum design that effectively prepares students for the complexity and uncertainty associated with clinical practice. A curriculum that comprises an educational platform that fosters innovation, mastery of content knowledge, development of skill competence, and cultivates the utilization of sound clinical reasoning skills. Student athletes need a way to minimize injury risk and optimize sport performance to participate without limitation during the competition season. People living with musculoskeletal pain conditions need a way to successfully manage their symptoms and maximize participation in activities that add quality and value to their daily lives."Dr. McGaugh's Research Dr. McGaugh's Faculty Bio Melissa (Missy) Morrow, PhD "Improving daily function of wheelchair users is important for maintaining independence, quality of life, and reducing secondary conditions."Dr. Morrow's ResearchDr. Morrow's Faculty Bio Ryan Pontiff, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT "Student physical therapists benefit from an education program that reduces stress and burnout, thus improving the clinical education experience."Dr. Pontiff's Research Dr. Pontiff's Faculty Bio Rajkumar Rajendran, DCLS, MS, MLS(ASCP)cm "Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science students (DCLS) act as intermediaries between the hospital laboratory and various healthcare professionals such as clinicians, residents, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. DCLS need a way to show the value they bring to a healthcare team to improve patient outcomes. "Dr. Rajendran's Faculty Bio José D. Rojas, PhD, RRT, RPFT, FAARC "Patients (children and adults) need effective evaluation of lung function with the simple and relatively mobile method of oscillometry, measuring airway resistance and identifying causes of breathlessness, in order to reduce symptoms, improve function and quality of life, and reduce the impact of poor air quality and environmental conditions."Dr. Rojas's Research Dr. Rojas's Faculty Bio Juan Rojo, PhD, MLS(ASCP)cm "Laboratory professionals need to be knowledgeable about the diagnostic tests available for the diagnosis of parasitic infections, mainly free-living amebae, in order to avoid delayed diagnosis, improve incidence reporting, and reduce mortality." Dr. Rojo's Faculty Bio Jose "Eddie" Salazar, PhD, MLS(ASCP)cm "Improved laboratory test interpretation and recommendations result in fewer diagnostic errors and more appropriate medical recommendations by clinicians to their patients."Dr. Salazar's ResearchDr. Salazar's Faculty Bio Shih-Chiao Tseng, PhD, PT "Persons with disabilities need a way to improve neurological and neuromuscular functions, in order to overcome barriers and live up to their fullest potential." Dr. Tseng's Faculty Bio Carole A. Tucker, PT, PhD "Improved measurement of health and care systems combined with meaningful interpretation can impact health practice and lead to improved quality of life, participation and function across the lifespan."Dr. Tucker's ResearchDr. Tucker's Faculty Bio Brian K. Walsh, PhD, RRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, RPFT, FAARC "Medical errors are common and could be avoided with advancements in assistive technology. Yet, we do not aspire to replace clinicians by smart automatic systems or robots, rather we aspire to help medical teams make better decisions systematically and teach the next generation to leverage this technology to improve the quality of care they provide. "Dr. Walsh's Research Dr. Walsh's Faculty Bio Rodney Welsh, PhD, PT, OTR "Professionals in charge of policy and strategic planning need an understanding of healthcare and rehabilitation utilization and outcomes as important quality of care indicators."Dr. Welsh's Research Dr. Welsh's Faculty Bio Melissa J. Yanes, MS, RRT-ACCS "Persons living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease need access to the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation to improve their quality of life and reduce costly readmissions to the hospital system."Ms. Yanes's Faculty Bio Clinical Laboratory Sciences Carol A Carman, PhD Muneeza Esani, PhD, MHP, MLS(ASCP) Rajkumar Rajendran, DCLS, MS, MLS(ASCP)cm Juan Rojo, PhD, MLS(ASCP)cm Jose "Eddie" Salazar, PhD, MLS(ASCP)cm Nutrition Sciences and Health Behavior Crystal Clark Douglas, PhD, RDN/LD Emily Lantz PhD Elizabeth Lyons, PhD, MPH Occupational Therapy Jyothi Gupta, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Claudia Hilton, PhD, OTR, MBA, FAOTA Riqiea F Kitchens, PhD, OTR, BCPR, CSRS Chih-ying "Cynthia" Li, PhD, OTR Karthik Mani, OTD, OTR, FACOT Physical Therapy Benjamin Brightwell, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT, PhD(c) Gregory Brusola, DPT, PhD, PT, MSCS Tony Chao, PhD Adrianna L. Ellis, PT, DPT, GCS Laurie Farroni, DPT, PT, PCS Steven R. Fisher, PhD, PT, GCS Rebecca Galloway, PT, PhD, GCS, CEEAA Lynne Hughes, PhD, PT, OCS, MTC Mansoo Ko, PhD Mi Jung Lee, PhD, OT Janna McGaugh, ScD, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT Melissa (Missy) Morrow, PhD Ryan Pontiff, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT Shih-Chiao Tseng, PhD, PT Carole A. Tucker, PT, PhD Rodney Welsh, PhD, PT, OTR Respiratory Therapy Bruce Adcock, M.Ed, RRT, RRT-NPS, CHSE José D. Rojas, PhD, RRT, RPFT, FAARC Brian K. Walsh, PhD, RRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, RPFT, FAARC Melissa J. Yanes, MS, RRT-ACCS Contact UsSHP Office of Research301 University Blvd.Galveston, TX 77555-1137O: SHP/SON 4.514P: (409) 747-1637E: shp.research@utmb.edu