Foundation for Physical Therapy Research Announces 2022 Research Grant Funding

The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research is awarding $735,000 in funding: $460,000 to fund seven research physical therapy grants and $250,000 for the 9th year of The Center on Health Services Training and Research (CoHSTAR). In July, the Board of Trustees awarded $25,000 per year for the next 5 years to support a R25 grant through NIH entitled “Turning the TiDe: Training Diverse Clinical Scientists in Rehabilitation Research.”  Foundation research grant funding helps pioneer new treatments, shows the efficacy of existing treatments, and defines the value of physical therapy services for patients, payers, and providers alike.

“The research funded by these grants will provide evidence that will improve care for the patients and clients physical therapists serve,” said Foundation President, Paul A. Rockar, Jr., PT, DPT, MS, FAPTA. “Physical therapy research is critical to the future of the profession, and thanks to the support of our dedicated donors, the Foundation is able to continue funding groundbreaking research and promising researchers, improving outcomes and treatments and advancing the profession.”

The 2022 research grant recipients are:

• Daniel Young, PT, DPT, PhD; of the University of Nevada Las Vegas: Young is awarded the $100,000 Magistro Family Foundation Research Grant for the application titled: “Effect of physical therapy on acute hospital inpatients’ discharge disposition and care cost.” This grant is supported through the Magistro Family Foundation Endowment Fund.
• Lori Michener, PT, PhD, ATC, SCS, FAPTA; of the University of Southern California: Michener is awarded the $100,000 Paris Patla Physical Therapy Research Grant for the application titled: “Biomarkers Of Tendon Recovery for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy.” This grant is supported through the Paris Patla Endowment Fund.
• Chad Cook, PT, PhD, MBA, FAPTA; of Duke University School of Medicine: Cook is awarded the $100,000 Paris Patla Manual Therapy Grant for the application titled: “Specific and Shared Mechanisms Associated with Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain.” This grant was made possible by the Paris Patla Manual Therapy Fund.
• Suzanne Ryer, PT, DPT, GCS; of Aurora Health Care, Inc: Ryer is awarded the $40,000 Geriatric Research Grant for the application titled: “Physical Therapy After Discharge from the Geriatric Emergency Department: Patient and Clinician Factors Influencing Referrals, Access, and Outcomes.” Funding was made possible through the APTA Geriatric Research Fund.
• Cara Felter, PT, DPT, MPH; of University of Maryland Baltimore: Felter is awarded the $40,000 Physical Therapy Education Research Grant for the application titled: “Understanding DPT students’ Readiness to Discuss Sexual Health Following a Novel Curriculum with Patient-Educators.” Funding for this grant is made possible by the APTA Academy of Education Research Fund.
• Jennifer Christy, PT, PhD; of the University of Alabama at Birmingham: Christy is awarded the $40,000 Foundation Research Grant for the application titled: “Feasibility of a Home Based Vestibular Balance Therapy Intervention for Children with Vestibular Hypofunction.” Funding for this grant was made possible by the APTA Supporting the Profession Fund. Annually this award is named in honor of the Marquette Challenge.
• Bokkyu Kim, PT, PhD; of Suny Upstate Medical University: Kim is awarded the $40,000 Snyder Research Grant for the application titled: “Effects of transcranial photobiomodulation on corticospinal excitability in non-disabled adults and chronic stroke survivors.” This grant was made possible by the Jayne L. Snyder Endowment Fund.

Foundation funding is awarded following a rigorous application process modeled after the National Institutes of Health – a process that sets the Foundation apart in physical therapy research funding. A volunteer scientific review committee composed of experts in research and education reviews all applicants. The Foundation’s unique focus on physical therapy research and peer review process sustains long-term research growth in this field. Since 1979, the Foundation has awarded more than $21 million in grants, scholarships, and fellowships.

The Foundation is currently accepting applications for the 2023 scholarships. For more information, visit Foundation4pt.org.