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Mission & History

Our Mission

The Mission of the Center for Recovery, Physical Activity and Nutrition is to conduct, disseminate and integrate interdisciplinary scholarship involving physical activity, exercise, function and nutrition to improve human health and facilitate recovery from illness, injury and disability.

The Center has established an infrastructure to support research related to rehabilitation, disability and recovery including a respected PhD and Postdoc training program, funding for PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, Rehabilitation Research Career Development (RRCD) program and a Center for Large Data Research and data sharing (CLDR).

History of the Center

The Center for Rehabilitation Sciences was established in 2001 in the School of Health Professions. During the early years of the Center's development, the Division, the Center and the Rehabilitation Sciences PhD Program were closely integrated and shared resources, core faculty and support services.

In 2013, the mission and focus of the Center were expanded. A new administrative structure was developed including the appointment of Dr. Blake Rasmussen, Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, as Associate Director. In addition, the Physical Activity and Functional Recovery Translational Research Laboratory and Physical Performance Testing and Training Core Lab were established.

Facts & Figures

UTMB Galveston campus

Since 2001, the Center has established an infrastructure to support research related to rehabilitation, disability and recovery including a respected PhD program, 11 years of NIH T32 funding for PhD students, 16 years of NIDRR Funding for post-doctoral fellows, a NIH K12 early career development grant funded for 10 years, and NIH R24 and P2C infrastructure grants for large data research and data sharing.

 

 

40

 

 

40 core faculty represent a variety of departments and institutes at UTMB.

49 / 44

49 post-doctoral fellows and 44 graduate students enrolled since 2001 reflect an interdisciplinary mix of specialties.

 

53

Core faculty are currently principal investigators on 53 externally funded research and training grants.

$8.9 Million

Funding at the end of FY16 was $8.9 million, a nearly nine-fold increase from 2001.

700

Core faculty, students and postdocs have authored or co-authored more than 700 articles in refereed journals since 2001.