Foundation for Physical Therapy Research Announces 2025 Research Grant Funding

The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research is awarding $855,000 to fund nine physical therapy research grants.  

"This year, we are awarding nine competitive physical therapy research grants, reflecting the strength of our grant program in advancing the evidence base for our profession," says Paul A. Rockar, Jr., PT, DPT, MS, FAPTA, President of the Foundation. "We are especially proud of our newest Health Services Research Grant, which tied for the most applications received and is off to a strong start. This demand underscores the need for expanded research support in this area, which we are proud to provide. More broadly, the generous contributions of our donors and APTA and its components make it possible to sustain research across multiple areas of physical therapy." 

The following investigators are recipients of the Foundation's 2025 research grants:  

Joshua Johnson, PT, DPT, EdD, Duke University School of Medicine 

Johnson is awarded the $80,000 Acute Care Physical Therapy Research Grant for the proposed study, Defining and Evaluating the "Integrated Practice Unit" as a Model for Acute Care Physical Therapy Delivery. This grant is generously supported with funds from APTA Acute Care.  

Jill Heathcock, PT, MPT, PhD, The Ohio State University 

Heathcock is awarded the $40,000 Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy Research Grant for the proposed study, Intensive Physical Therapy for Young Children With Ventricular Assist Devices Prior to Heart Transplant. This grant is generously supported with funds from the APTA Academy of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy. 

Barbara Smith, PT, PhD, University of Florida  

Smith is awarded the $40,000 VCU-Marquette Foundation Research Grant for the proposed study, Rehabilitation-based Approaches to Prevent Mechanical Ventilation-Induced Breathing Dysfunction. This grant is generously supported with funds from the APTA Supporting the Profession Endowment Fund.  

Jayakrishnan Nair, PT, MSPT, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University  

Nair is awarded the $175,000 Magistro Family Foundation Research Grant for the proposed study, Respiratory Neural Drive in Down Syndrome. This grant is generously supported with funds from the Magistro Family Foundation Endowment Fund.  

Oscar Vila-Dieguez, PT, MSc, PhD, University of California, San Diego  

Vila-Dieguez is awarded the $40,000 Orthopedic Physical Therapy Research Grant for the proposed study, Supraspinatus Muscle Response to Exercise in Individuals With Rotator Cuff Chronic Joint Pain. This grant is generously supported with funds from the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy Endowment Fund.  

Alexander Bengtsson, PT, DPT, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine  

Bengtsson is awarded the $200,000 Paris Patla Manual Therapy Research Grant for the proposed study, Effects of Noxious vs Non-noxious Knee Mobilization on Cortical Activity in Chronic Joint Pain. This grant is generously supported with funds from the Paris Patla Manual Therapy Research Fund.  

Stacey Dusing, PT, PhD, FAPTA, University of Southern California  

Dusing is awarded the $200,000 Paris Patla Physical Therapy Research Grant for the proposed study, Comparative Effectiveness of Telehealth vs in-Person Delivery of the Supporting Play Exploration and Early Development Intervention in Underserved Urban and Rural Populations. This grant is generously supported with funds from the Paris Patla Endowment Fund.  

Rebecca Molinini, PT, PhD, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

Molinini is awarded the $40,000 Pediatric Physical Therapy Research Grant for the proposed study, Brain-Heart Behavior Connections: Understanding Associations Between Patient-Infant Relationships, Infant Neurodevelopment, and Parent Neurophysiology. This grant is generously supported with funds from the APTA Pediatrics Endowment Fund.  

Emily Kahnert, PT, DPT, PhD, University of Minnesota Twin Cities  

Kahnert is awarded the $40,000 Physical Therapy Health Services Research Grant for the proposed study, Cost-Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation for Individuals With Temporomandibular Disorders. This grant is generously supported with funds from the Goergeny Fund.