Chris Ray, PhD
Director
Dr. Ray's research agenda is focused on the development of innovative rehabilitation programs focused on reducing falls in older adults. His primary research focuses on the examination of the physiological differences between sighted and legally blind older adults to develop interventions that will improve functional independence and quality of life within this population. This current work seeks to identify physical factors that are modifiable and contribute to increased fall risk. These differences provide a basis for exercise interventions that target reductions in the rate of physiological decline while preserving and potentially restoring independent functioning in older adults with vision loss or transitioning towards visual impairment. Dr. Ray's secondary focus seeks to quantify the rehabilitation outcomes associated with blind rehabilitation programs and how they impact travel, mobility and physical activity. This research utilizes GPS and accelerometers to track participants before and after their rehabilitation program to document changes in travel and provide a measuring stick for future interventions that seek to improve current "best practice" for blind rehabilitation.

David Keller, PhD
Associate Director
Dr. Keller's primary research interest is cardiovascular physiology.Publications in this area have examined topics such as: arterial baroreflex control of arterial blood pressure, sympathetic neural control of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise and dynamic blood pressure control mechanisms in health and disease. Dr. Keller's most recent projects include: dynamic blood pressure control in African Americans, exercise-thermoregulation following prolonged exposure to simulated Lunar gravity and baroreflex function in patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Priscila Caçola, PhD
Dr. Caçola’s research agenda focuses on issues involving motor development across the lifespan, with specific attention to the development of action representation and motor planning in children and adolescents as well as the testing of diagnostic tools and rehabilitation paradigms related to motor coordination disorders in children.

Jake Resch, PhD, ATC
Dr. Resch's area of research focuses on measurement issues in concussion management, investigating potential biomarkers, specifically from the pituitary gland, and incorporating functional magnetic resonance imaging to address metabolic aspects of concussion. He is also interested in interdisciplinary collaboration to address these and other areas of concussion and other sport-related injuries such as exertional heat illness.

John R. Biggan, PhD
Dr. Biggan's primary focus is on the changes in cognition that are associated with aging and how those changes are associated with fall risk. In addition, Dr. Biggan in interested in studying the effect of exercise on cognition in an elderly population.