Kessler Foundation Disability Rehabilitation Research And Employment

Since 2005, Kessler Foundation has hosted NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) day. On June 21, 2016, fifty seventh and eighth grade young men and women from the NJIT engineering camp received hands on demonstrations in our various research labs. We had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Karen Nolan, Sr. Research Scientist at the Foundation about this ongoing program and Kaitlyn Gross, a former camper and now teachers assistant about the impact this program has made in her life.

In June 2016, Jack Fanous of VetsNow Radio stopped by Kessler Foundation and talked with foundation staff members Glenn Wylie, DPhil, Associate Director of Neuroscience and Justin Stanley, Research Recruitment Specialist about our ongoing Gulf War Illness Research. Listen in on the various topics discussed for the radio show. Subject Recruitment and how it relates to the foundation's research (0:00 - 9:30) Justin Stanley explains how the research we do is directly translated to helping people receive better quality of care. Understanding Gulf War Illness (9:30-13:27) Here Dr. Wylie talks about GWI in a general sense.   Tackling the Problem- Kessler’s Research Approach (13:27-17:04) Dr. Wylie gets more into the issue of fatigue and discusses his research methodology.   Implications for Veterans’ Health Issues (17:04-20:22) Dr. Wylie talks about how data-driven research can help with advocacy. Jack expands on these issues in terms of overall veterans’ health issues.   How and Why Veterans Should Get Involved

More than seven million people in the United States have survived a stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. How can research help? On Thursday, June 16, 2016, Kessler Foundation held an evening of discovery and discussion with our rehabilitation researchers. Steve Adubato, PhD, our panel moderator along with distinguished research and clinical staff, A.M. Barrett, MD, Karen J. Nolan, PhD, Mooyeon Oh-Park, MD, and Yekyung Kong, MD demonstrated their latest findings and discussed innovative efforts propelling new discoveries with the latest technologies to help stroke survivors of all ages regain independence and return to their homes, their communities, and the workplace. Be sure and check out the online video "The Brain Damage You Don’t Know You Have” with Drs. Sanjay Gupta and A.M. Barrett at http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/brain-damage-you-dont-know-you-have/ For more information about stroke research, go to https://www.kesslerfoundation.org/researchcenter/stroke/index.php

2016 Employer Recognition Breakfast Alice Hunnicutt, Director, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, DVRS, give Opening Remarks at the Employer Recognition Breakfast Hosted by The Essex County & Newark Workforce Development Boards’ Disability Issues Committee.

2016 Employer Recognition Breakfast Elaine Katz, Senior VP of Grants and Communications at Kessler Foundation, Keynote speaker at the Employer Recognition Breakfast Hosted by The Essex County & Newark Workforce Development Boards’ Disability Issues Committee

INSIDE Kessler Foundation, a new podcast series that we are excited to share with you! Your hosts, Joan banks-Smith and CarolAnn Murphy, PA will be showcasing CUTTING-EDGE rehabilitation research in stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury and innovative programs that promote employment for people with disabilities. Our first episode highlights are: 3D Printing and Rehabilitation Research - An interview with Ghaith Androwis A Round Table Discussion - Increasing Employment After Spinal Cord Injury, Drs. JohnO'Neil, Trevor Dyson-Hudson, and James Malec Are you a rehabilitation research hero? – the importance of contributing to multiple sclerosis research - Interview with Justin Stanley 2016 First Quarter Awarded Research Grants Be sure and check out our podcasting website at http://www.kesslerfoundation.org/insidepodcast where you can find additional photos, videos, and supporting media.

Cherylynn Marion presents at the 2016 Fellow Symposium "Parent-Child Agreement of Neurobehavioral Functioning Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury"

SIlvana Costa, PhD presenting at the 2016 Fellow Symposium "Information Processing Speed in Multiple Sclerosis"

Meghan Caulfield, PhD presents at the 2016 Fellow Symposium "Changes in Functional Connectivity Following Prism Adaptation Therapy"

Ghaith Androwis, PhD presenting at the Fellow Symposium "Advances in Wearable Robotics & Pediatric Neurorehabilitation Research" Ghaith joined the Human Performance and Engineering Lab at Kessler Foundation, with interest to work on Exoskeleton robotics (Ekso) for walking rehabilitation in adults after stroke, TBI and children with CP; Functional electrical stimulation for rehabilitation of foot drop (WalkAide device). Another area of interest includes the application of novel interventions (i.e. vestibular stimulation, Whole body vibration) on individuals with neuromuscular disability with the aim to reduce their level of disorder (i.e. Spasticity, Dystonia and muscle tone).

A quick word from Congressman Scott Garrett at the 2016 Ridgewood Wheelchair 10K.

Larry Bram and Nathaniel Corbin from Easter Seals presents at our Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, May 13, 2016 and share how funding from Kessler Foundation impacts US veterans and their families.

Dr. Gail Forrest is associate director of Human Performance and Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation and is also Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School. Over the last 6 years Dr Forrest has continued to receive state and federal funded grants concentrating on the neuroplasticity, improvement in secondary consequences and restoration of function for individuals after SCI. She has presented and published extensively in the area of neuroplasticity and musculoskeletal changes for individuals after SCI. Dr Forrest has other key interests in the area of biomechanics as related to modeling algorithms for under standing control mechanisms in upper extremity (i.e. arm reaching after stroke), and postural control during locomotion. All her areas of research are ultimately focused towards the improvement of functional mobility.

Dr. Karen Nolan is a Senior Research Scientist in Human Performance and Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation, Assistant Professor of PM&R at Rutgers NJMS, Clinical Research Scientist at Children’s Specialized Hospital, and Affiliated Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Dr. Nolan has extensive experience in leading the design and implementation of biomechanics research and strong expertise in balance, gait, movement analysis, neuromuscular physiology, rehabilitation robotics, and peripheral motor control.

 Welcome to a 2016 Kessler Foundation Research Speakers series. Guest speakers for today, April 4th, 2016 are Drs. Gail Forrest and Karen Nolan presenting: “Powered Robotic Exoskeleton Research in the HPER”.   Dr. Karen Nolan is a Senior Research Scientist in Human Performance and Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation, Assistant Professor of PM&R at Rutgers NJMS, Clinical Research Scientist at Children’s Specialized Hospital, and Affiliated Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Dr. Nolan has extensive experience in leading the design and implementation of biomechanics research and strong expertise in balance, gait, movement analysis, neuromuscular physiology, rehabilitation robotics, and peripheral motor control. Dr. Gail Forrest is associate director of Human Performance and Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation and is also Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School. Over the last 6 years Dr

Today is April 1, Jobs Friday, and we’ve just issued our monthly report on Trends in Disability Employment – or #nTIDE. We’re exploring today’s nTIDE with Dr John O’Neill, director of Disability & Employment Research at Kessler Foundation. Dr. O’Neill looks at the six-month trends, finding reason to be cautiously optimistic, and describes an interesting new pilot study aimed at getting individuals with spinal cord injury back to work by intervening with vocational services during their inpatient rehab.

We’re INSIDE KESSLER FOUNDATION with Justin Stanley, Research Recruitment Specialist – a new position here at the Foundation. Justin talks about our caregiver studies and what Kessler Foundation is learning about stress, burden, and the potential for negative health outcomes for them. Interested in becoming a research participant? Sign up at http://www.kesslerfoundation.org/joinourresearchstudies.php

We’re INSIDE KESSLER FOUNDATION with Justin Stanley, Research Recruitment Specialist – a new position here at the Foundation. KESSLER FOUNDATION is a major center for cognitive research in traumatic brain injury – the most common neurological disorder among young people. Justin, tells us about our studies aimed at improving treatment for individuals with cognitive deficits due to TBI. Interested in becoming a research participant? Sign up at http://www.kesslerfoundation.org/joinourresearchstudies.php

We’re INSIDE KESSLER FOUNDATION with Justin Stanley, Research Recruitment Specialist – a new position here at the Foundation. KESSLER FOUNDATION is a major center for cognitive research in multiple sclerosis – the most common neurological disorder among young people. Justin tells us about our studies aimed at improving treatment for individuals with cognitive deficits due to MS. Interested in becoming a research participant? Sign up at http://www.kesslerfoundation.org/joinourresearchstudies.php

Welcome to a 2016 Kessler Foundation Research Speakers series. Guest speaker Dr. Denise Krch presents: “Development of a virtual-based cognitive rehabilitation treatment” Dr. Krch is a Research Scientist in the Traumatic Brain Injury Laboratory at Kessler Foundation Research Center, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School, The State University of New Jersey and is a licensed psychologist in the state of New York. Dr. Krch has recently been awarded funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to develop an innovative, virtual reality-based intervention to treat impairments in executive function in individuals with TBI. Dr. Krch also receives funding from the New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research to investigate the role of cognitive reserve in TBI. This presentation was recorded on Monday, February 1st, 2016 at the Kessler Foundation Conference Center, West Orange, NJ and is sponsored by K