Assistant Professor Reivian Berrios Barillas
Assistant Professor Reivian Berrios Barillas received a 2024 Momentum Teaming Grant from the University of Pittsburgh. The $60,000 funding will assist her and her team to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the hybrid anatomy course.
While the benefits of hybrid education have been well established, questions remain about how best to monitor, track and improve student outcomes in hybrid learning environments. This project develops the infrastructure for intelligent mechanisms that can (1) assist in the early detection of knowledge gaps and (2) facilitate remediation. The work will evaluate various AI mechanisms for tracking time spent on difficult concepts for both high- and low-achieving students, and to provide feedback for instructors and students. These AI mechanisms will be tested in an established hybrid course (Human Anatomy) to gauge effectiveness and applicability for other hybrid education programs.
Assistant Professor Christopher Bise
Assistant Professor Christopher Bise and his co-authors, Professor Michael Schneider, Professor Janet Freburger, Professor Emeritus Kelley Fitzgerald, Galen Switzer (Pitt Department of Medicine/VA Pittsburgh), Garry Smyda (UPMC), Pamela Peele (UPMC/Pitt School of Public Health), and SHRS Dean and Professor Anthony Delitto received the 2024 Jack Walker Award for their publication “First Provider Seen for an Acute Episode of Low Back Pain Influences Subsequent Health Care Utilization.” The Jack Walker Award is presented by the American Physical Therapy Association to an author or team whose study published in PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal presents novel and innovative research related to patient care and advances clinical science as it pertains to the physical therapy profession. Bise and his team were nominated for the award by Alan Jette, emeritus editor in chief of PTJ. This award continues the long and extensive list of high impact, award winning publications by faculty members in the Department of Physical Therapy.
Chair and Professor James Irrgang
In February, the multicenter STaR Trial for Multiple Ligament Knee Injuries, led by Department Chair and Professor James Irrgang, completed enrollment of 298 individuals with a multiple ligament knee injury that were randomized to early or delayed rehabilitation after surgical treatment of the ligament injury.
Participants in the STaR Trial were randomized to early vs. delayed rehabilitation after surgical repair/reconstruction for a multiple ligament injury to determine effects on return to pre-injury military, work and/or sports activity and patient-reported physical function. It is hypothesized that beginning rehabilitation 1 week after surgery will be superior compared to starting rehabilitation 4 weeks after surgery. Final results will be available after the completion of 2-year follow-up for the last participant enrolled. Study results are expected to be available in early 2026.
Program Director and Professor Michael Schneider
Doctor of Chiropractic Program Director and Professor Michael Schneider and his team have successfully completed a randomized trial in collaboration with the University of Minnesota titled “Spinal Manipulation and Patient Self-Management to Prevent Back Pain Chronicity.”
This is one of the largest trials on spinal manipulation to date. Results of this project may transform low back pain management by providing definitive and generalizable evidence regarding front-line, non-pharmacologic interventions addressing physical and psychosocial factors for the prevention of chronic low back pain.
Vice Chair for Research and Professor Sara Piva and SHRS Dean and Professor Anthony Delitto
Vice Chair for Research and Professor Sara Piva and SHRS Dean and Professor Anthony Delitto, directors of the Clinical Core of the study titled “HEALing LB3P: Profiling Biomechanical, Biological and Behavioral phenotypes – LB3P study,” just concluded enrollment of all 1,000 participants with chronic low back pain for this longitudinal study.
The LB3P study aims to perform in-depth phenotyping and provide insight for personalized care to improve outcomes for individuals with chronic low back pain. Study follow ups will conclude in the spring of 2024.
Sara Piva and Pitt School of Medicine Gwendolyn Sowa and Ajay D. Wasan
The University of Pittsburgh is one of the clinical sites for the study titled “Biomarkers for Evaluating Spinal Treatment-BEST trial (U24AR076730).” The site principle investigators are Department of Physical Therapy Vice Chair for Research and Professor Sara Piva, School of Medicine Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department Chair and Professor Gwendolyn Sowa, and Vice Chair for Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at UPMC and a Professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and Psychiatry in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Ajay D. Wasan.
The BEST trial is a large, multi-site, Sequential, Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) to estimate optimal precision medicine algorithms to assist clinicians in making treatment recommendations for patients with chronic low back pain. Our site has successfully completed enrollment during the fall and is completing follow-ups during this spring and summer.
Assistant Professor Pamela Dunlap
Assistant Professor Pamela Dunlap recently received the Clinician-Scientist Transdisciplinary Aging Research (Clin-STAR) Pilot Grant. The title of the grant is “Effectiveness and Predictors of Evidence-Based Care Use among Older Adults with Peripheral Vestibular Disorders.” The overall objective of this research is to identify predictors of physical therapy use and to determine the effectiveness of physical therapy on fall injuries and health care utilization among older adults with peripheral vestibular disorders using UPMC electronic medical record data linked to claims data.
