Welcome from the Vice Chair for Research
Welcome to the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. As Vice Chair for Research, I’m proud to be part of a team with a deep commitment to improving patient care through scientifically rigorous research. Our department is one of the nation’s highest ranked PM&R programs, and our research enterprise is a vital part of that distinction.
Our investigators are engaged in a wide range of research spanning basic science, clinical trials, translational rehabilitation engineering and neural engineering studies, health services research, and implementation science. We consistently rank in the top 3 NIH funded programs for rehabilitation research. We maintain robust collaborations with partners across the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, and Carnegie Mellon University, among other partners. Our department is also home to federally funded and endowed centers and institutes, including the Rehab Neural Engineering Laboratories, Safar Center, Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center, and the Human Engineering Research Laboratories. We also are home to clinical research programs and registries for conditions like spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and spina bifida.
Importantly, our approach to research is highly interdisciplinary and translational. Our researchers are world-renowned experts in neural engineering, assistive technology, spinal cord injury, brain injury, pediatric rehabilitation, neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology, musculoskeletal medicine, and data science. Many of our researchers are physiatrists, therapists, and neuropsychologists who generate ideas from working closely with patients and families and who bring innovative advances directly back to patient care. We focus on real-world impact—developing innovations that improve mobility, function, and quality of life for people living with disabilities. We also prioritize mentorship and training, offering opportunities for students, residents, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty to grow within a strong research culture.
In collaboration with the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, we offer The UPMC Rehabilitation Institute Pilot Grant Program to fund junior investigators and advance team science. We also annually host UPMC Rehabilitation Institute Research Day where we welcome distinguished experts in rehabilitation medicine and science as keynote speakers, and we highlight the latest research being carried out by trainees and staff.
Whether you’re a prospective collaborator, trainee, or simply exploring what we do, we invite you to learn more about our work and how we’re advancing the science of rehabilitation.
Respectfully,
Brad Dicianno
Professor
Director, Medical Student Education
Vice Chair for Research