NIDRR Grant Funds 5-year RERC for P&O at NUPRL-RERP
by R. J. Garrick, Ph.D.

NURERC laboratory members are (from left, back) Andrew Hansen, Joshua Rolock, Edward Grahn, R. J. Garrick, Steven Gard, Craig Heckathorne, Kerice Tucker, (from left, front) Rebecca Stine, Dilip Thacker, Dudley Childress, Kathy Waldera, Stefania Fatone.

October 1, 2008 -- The National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the United States Department of Education has awarded the Northwestern Prosthetics Research Laboratory (NUPRL) and Rehabilitation Engineering Research Program (RERP) a five year grant as a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) for prosthetics and orthotics (P&O) under NIDRR Grant H133E080009.

Steven A. Gard, Ph.D., and Stefania Fatone, Ph.D., BPO(Hons), are Co-Principal Investigators of this grant; however, the combined abilities and efforts of the NUPRL and RERP staff and faculty contributed to the success of the grant proposal. As in the past, all laboratory members will continue to work as a team to complete the proposed projects.

During the next five years of this NIDRR grant cycle, NURERC will conduct seven research projects, five development projects, and multiple educational projects that will expand the understanding of the biomechanics of human movement, develop improved devices for people with amputations, and train others in these areas of knowledge.

Hansen receives a two-year grant from NIH

Andrew Hansen, PhD (2007) was awarded a two-year R03 grant from the National Institutes of Health.  The grant was titled, "Responses of the Ankle to Changes in Shoe Rocker Radius."

Meier and Hansen receive a three-year grant from the European Union

Margrit Meier, PhD and Andrew Hansen, PhD (2007) were awarded a three-year Marie Curie International Re-Integration Grant.  The grant was titled, "Shape&Roll Talon."

Hansen and Gard receive a three-year grant from the Veterans Administration

Andrew Hansen, PhD and Steven Gard, PhD (2006) were awarded a three year merit review grant from the Veterans Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development division. The grant was titled, "Effects of Prosthetic Foot Rocker Radius on Gait of Prosthesis users."

Gard and Fatone receive a three-year grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Steven Gard, PhD, Stefania Fatone, PhD, and Aruna Ganju, MD (2006) were awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs for "Effect of Spine Surgery on Energy Expenditure of Walking."  The purpose of this project is to evaluate the impact of surgery on quality of life as it relates to the effort and efficiency of walking in patients with degenerative spine disease.

Gard and Fatone receive a three-year grant

Steven Gard, PhD and Stefania Fatone, PhD (2005) were awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs for "An Investigation of Ankle Joints for Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs)."

Gard awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Steven A. Gard, PhD (2004) was awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) for "Study of Residual Limb/Prosthetic Socket Compliance in Transtibial Amputees."

Childress and Gard receive a five-year grant from NIDRR

Dudley S. Childress, PhD and Steven A. Gard, PhD (2003) were awarded a five-year grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for "Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center in Prosthetics and Orthotics."

Weir receives a five-year grant from NIH

Richard F. ff. Weir, PhD (2003) was awarded a five-year grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIH) for "Multifunctional Prosthesis Control Using Implanted Sensors."

Weir awarded grant for the Technology Transfer of a Trans-Metacarpal Hand Prosthesis

Richard F. ff. Weir, PhD (2003) was awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs Research and Development Service for the technology transfer of an "Externally-Powered Trans-Metacarpal Hand Prosthesis."