This month, the Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI) welcomed two new postdoctoral fellows to its team of scientists. Over the course of their careers, these two scientists have developed expertise in scientific domains spanning human cognition, metacognition, motor planning, cognitive neuroscience, neurolinguistics, and neuroimaging.
Cory Potts, PhD, (featured above on the left) began his fellowship at MRRI on August 3rd. Prior to accepting his new position, Dr. Potts was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University, both teaching and conducting research. He completed his undergraduate and graduate training in Psychology at The Pennsylvania State University.
Dr. Potts’s research examines interactions between cognition and action, focusing on the planning, performance, and metacognition of physical action.
In his prior work, Dr. Potts has investigated topics including the coordination of walking and reaching, comparisons of cognitive and physical effort, and the control of manual postures at various wrist angles.
His most recent research has examined the subjective experiences that accompany physical actions, such as feelings of control or agency, and the level at which actions are identified. Actions can be identified at levels ranging from higher-level, outcome-related descriptions to lower-level, movement-related descriptions.
Through his work, Dr. Potts aims to identify the factors that determine the level of action identification, how these levels of action correspond to perceived control, and how the metacognition of action can be used to improve outcomes for people who have impaired movement.
Haley Dresang, PhD, (featured above on the right) started her fellowship on August 17th. Dr. Dresang completed her undergraduate training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in Communication Sciences and Disorders as well as Spanish Language and Hispanic Studies. She was recently awarded her PhD in Communication Science & Disorders from the University of Pittsburgh and served as a Visiting Professor at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
Dr. Dresang’s research aims to elucidate how healthy and disordered brains process language and recruit semantic memory to support language processing. Her goal is to improve our understanding of cognitive and communication impairments caused by brain injury.
In her dissertation research, Dr. Dresang examined the cortical systems responsible for core language and memory processes, particularly semantic memory for actions and events. Her recent research has used cutting-edge neuroimaging methods and behavioral measures to identify how conceptual and linguistic processes are related and may be dissociated.
Through her research program, Dr. Dresang aims to characterize the cognitive and neural networks underpinning action and event semantic knowledge in language processing, and also to investigate the neuroplasticity and reorganization of these networks post-stroke.
Her long-term goal is to advance our knowledge of how semantic memory for actions and events can facilitate language recovery and successful communication strategies in adults with neurogenic communication disorders.
The pioneering research led by investigators at Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI) would not be possible without the many dedicated research participants who have contributed their time and effort over the years. As part of the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center at MossRehab, established in 2019, MRRI and MossRehab have worked together to expand the MRRI Research Registry. The Research Registry is a list of volunteers who are interested in participating in research at MRRI, and it now includes individuals with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease or Parkinsonism. Emily Fannick and Katie Cornell are two staff members who are integral to the process of recruiting new research volunteers. In this interview, Emily and Katie share more about their roles, this new extension of the MRRI Research Registry, and research opportunities at the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center.
What prompted the development of a new extension of the MRRI Research Registry for MossRehab patients interested in participating in Parkinson’s related research?
Emily: People with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders frequently participate in programs at MossRehab. Advancing the scientific and clinical communities’ understanding of evidence-based neurorehabilitation for these individuals has recently emerged as a new but expanding area of research interest and was identified as critical to MRRI’s mission. Since its beginning nearly 20 years ago, our research registry has enrolled about 4,000 individuals who have experienced stroke (cerebrovascular accident; CVA) or traumatic brain injury (TBI). We are confident that expanding the MRRI Research Registry to include individuals affected by Parkinsonism will be a successful way to help researchers identify volunteers interested in learning about opportunities to participate in Parkinson’s-related research.
How is the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center unique?
Katie: The Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center exemplifies MossRehab’s culture of research integrated with clinical care by focusing on improving the quality of care for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders through innovative approaches in rehabilitation. By expanding the MRRI Research Registry to include individuals with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center will allow a variety of Parkinson’s-related research opportunities to flourish. In this way, it empowers patients from across the MossRehab network to help shape future care by participating in research studies designed to help better understand Parkinson’s disease and its treatment. This supports the central mission of the Klein Family Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Center “To provide evidence-based care by increasing our understanding of the effectiveness of current rehabilitation treatments while promoting greater synergy between clinical and research staff to increase collaborative innovation.”
What are some of your key responsibilities within the Parkinson’s extension of the MRRI Research Registry?
Katie: When individuals express an interest in becoming a member of the Research Registry, we facilitate this by walking them through the informed-consent process and enrolling them in the Research Registry so that they may be contacted about future research opportunities. We also help to raise awareness of this new extension of the MRRI Research Registry by holding information sessions at MossRehab outpatient centers. In addition, we develop and modify recruitment and enrollment procedures specifically for the needs of those affected by Parkinsonism and maintain the information in the Research Registry (e.g., updating contact information for Research Registry volunteers).
Every study is different, but can you give a general overview of the kinds of research studies that are conducted?
Emily: MRRI is home to approximately a dozen laboratories that have specific research focuses, with Parkinson’s and related disorders being one of them. Research studies are designed to investigate different areas of functioning within these patient populations, such as problems with speech and language, attention, memory, movement, and emotional well-being. Researchers also study which treatments work best in these areas. Patients may complete assessment batteries; participate in speech, language, movement, and/or cognitive tasks (e.g., talking about pictures and videos, imitating actions); and/or answer questions about how their lives are affected by their symptoms of Parkinsonism. Experiments may also make use of cutting-edge technologies such as immersive virtual reality and interacting with robots.
What is the process like for a patient who wants to join the Research Registry and the steps someone would go through to participate in a Parkinson’s-related research study here?
Emily: The process for an individual to volunteer to be a participant in the Parkinson’s extension of the Research Registry is twofold. After expressing their interest, the individual would first need to complete the informed-consent process to join the Research Registry. MRRI researchers are then able to search the Research Registry to identify and contact individuals that may be eligible to participate in their research studies. If the Research Registry member is eligible and interested in participating in a particular study, a second informed-consent process specific to that study will take place. The second informed-consent process provides the participant with details about the study (e.g., study duration, examples of tasks involved, and the risks and benefits of participation) and provides an opportunity to have their own questions about the study answered. It is really that simple! This same process applies to stroke, TBI, and Parkinson’s-related research. The informed-consent process, as well as all aspects of the Research Registry and any study that takes place at MRRI, is conducted with Institutional Review Board oversight.
For people who are considering getting involved in research, what are some of the benefits?
Katie: Getting involved in research allows people to contribute directly to science. Researchers rely on volunteers to participate in research so they can learn more about rehabilitation, Parkinsonism, and the brain, which may help improve rehabilitation services in the future for all of those living with the effects of neurological disease or injury.
What are some of your goals for the Parkinson’s extension of the MRRI Research Registry?
Emily: The overall goal for Parkinson’s research is to continue to develop best practices for treatment. For the Parkinson’s extension of the Research Registry specifically, we are really focused on streamlining our procedures to ensure we are reaching as many people as possible that might be eligible and interested in joining the Research Registry.
Katie: We also continue to strengthen our relationships with clinicians across MossRehab outpatient centers to raise awareness of this new extension of the Research Registry as well as all of the research opportunities at MRRI and MossRehab.
What do you like most about what you do?
Katie: The best part of what I do is interacting with potential Research Registry participants and their family members. I have met so many interesting and friendly people that are eager to get involved!
Emily: I have two favorite parts of my position that make working as a Research Registry Recruiter very special and rewarding. The MRRI Research Registry staff, researchers at MRRI, and all therapists, clinicians, and physicians at MossRehab are very passionate about what they do and why they do it — to help others. That passion resonates with me and motivates me in my own work every day. Secondly, working with patients and their families one-on-one really puts into perspective the benefits that research can deliver for the patient populations that we study.
In addition to being sought-after experts in their respective research areas, our scientists are also important contributors at a national level in advocating for science and medicine. MRRI Director and Director of the Human Motor Recovery Laboratory, Dylan Edwards, PhD, was recently featured in an article in Philadelphia Magazine discussing the challenges that Black scientists continue to face in securing funding from organizations like the National Institutes for Health (NIH). In this article Dr. Edwards describes potential factors that may contribute to a lower likelihood of funding success in Black or other minority applicants and important steps that should be taken to remedy these disparities.
Further, John Whyte, MD, PhD, Former MRRI Director and Founding Director of the TBI Rehabilitation Research Laboratory was interviewed by the Association of Academic Physiatrists about his dedication to advocacy throughout his career. Dr. Whyte shares what motivated him to become involved in advocacy efforts, challenges he has encountered, and why he believes it is important for physicians to take an active role in these national conversations that impact the patients they serve.
In some cases, the perception that scientists are somehow different from others may be a barrier in fostering connections and conversations between researchers and our communities. To help overcome this barrier, Dr. Umesh Venkatesan, PhD, Institute Scientist and Director of the Brain Trauma and Behavior Laboratory, was recently featured on the People Behind the Science podcast. Through this program, Dr. Venkatesan shares his research on aging with moderate-to-severe TBI in a way that is interesting and accessible to a wide audience, and he gives the public insight into what life is like as a scientist.
We feel honored and privileged to have the opportunity to continue to dedicate our voices to reducing disparities, promoting equity, and fostering connections between scientists and the people within our own communities and around the world.
