Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences - Thomas Jefferson University

Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences - Thomas Jefferson University A leader in innovative rehabilitation sciences' educational, clinical, and research programs.

The College of Rehabilitation Sciences at Jefferson includes occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, athletic training, and exercise science.

Congratulations to Dr. Jay Nair and his interdisciplinary research team on securing a prestigious NIH/NINDS R21 award to...
08/10/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Jay Nair and his interdisciplinary research team on securing a prestigious NIH/NINDS R21 award to support their groundbreaking project, "Early Detection of Respiratory Impairments in ALS: A Novel Diagnostic Approach."

With more than $431,000 in NIH funding over two years, this innovative study seeks to identify respiratory impairments in genetic carriers of ALS before they become apparent through conventional clinical testing. By uncovering hidden breathing abnormalities early in the disease process, this work has the potential to transform how ALS is detected, monitored, and managed.

What makes this project especially exciting is its highly interdisciplinary approach. In addition to advanced respiratory assessments, the team will develop novel MRI protocols to evaluate respiratory-related changes in the brainstem and spinal cord while also establishing sensitive blood-based biomarkers of neurodegeneration. Together, these efforts aim to create a more comprehensive understanding of the earliest changes associated with ALS.

This award is a testament to the team's dedication, innovation, and commitment to advancing neurological and respiratory health research. We look forward to seeing the impact of this important work on the future of ALS diagnosis and patient care.
Congratulations, Dr. Nair and team, on this outstanding achievement!

🌟 Alumni Spotlight: Turning a Vision into Reality 🌟When Danny Moeller graduated from Thomas Jefferson University’s Docto...
07/08/2026

🌟 Alumni Spotlight: Turning a Vision into Reality 🌟

When Danny Moeller graduated from Thomas Jefferson University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in 2023, he had a clear vision for his future: to one day own and operate a physical therapy and sports performance practice built around helping athletes return to the sports and activities they love. Just three years later, that vision has become a reality.

In 2026, Danny launched Moe Rehab & Sports Performance at Total Turf Experience in Pitman, New Jersey, where he is dedicating his career to serving athletes of all ages through an innovative model that bridges rehabilitation, performance, and education.

His practice is founded on three pillars that guide every aspect of athlete care.

The first pillar is maintaining athlete-centered care. Danny believes the athlete should remain at the center of everything a health and performance team does. This includes fostering strong communication among athletes, families, coaches, and healthcare professionals while building a collaborative team dedicated to supporting the athlete’s health, performance, and long-term well-being.

The second pillar is merging physical therapy with strength and conditioning. He recognizes that returning athletes to peak performance requires more than simply recovering from injury. By integrating rehabilitation interventions with strength and conditioning principles, his goal is to help athletes transition seamlessly from rehabilitation to performance, ensuring they are prepared not only to return to play but to thrive within their sport.

The third pillar is cultivating an environment of learning and exploration. Through on-field and on-court rehabilitation experiences, athletes are encouraged to better understand movement, decision-making, and performance within dynamic sporting environments. By helping athletes understand when, how, and why to apply specific movement strategies, Danny aims to empower them to become active participants in their own development and success.

This exciting milestone represents years of hard work, dedication, and professional growth. Reflecting on his journey, Danny is quick to acknowledge the mentors and colleagues who helped shape his development as both a clinician and leader.

He extends his gratitude to mentors Bin Woo, Joe Moffa, Zach Mayo, and Steve Grazioli, whose guidance and mentorship played a significant role in his growth as a physical therapist. He also recognizes Ryan Wolff, who believed in his vision from the moment he entered the clinic and supported him throughout his professional journey, and Mandy Huggard, who provided an opportunity for a young and passionate physical therapist to take his first steps into the world of sports rehabilitation.

“Without their mentorship and guidance, I would not be the clinician I am today.”

When asked about his favorite memory from PT school, Danny shared a story that reflects both his competitive nature and sense of humor.

“I remember for our sports lab day at the TJU basketball courts, I was playing basketball with my lab professors and my orthopedic professor, Chris Keating. I remember playing defense and seeing him drive the lane and thinking, ‘It’s time to get some sport-specific revenge for all the work he has made me do for school.’ When he went up for a layup, I met him at the rim to block his shot. The crowd went crazy, all three of them, and Chris still passed me to allow me to graduate PT school. A win-win for everyone.”

For current DPT students and recent graduates, Danny offers a simple but powerful piece of advice: “Find your own path and always stay curious.”

The Jefferson DPT community is proud to celebrate this exciting accomplishment and the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive our alumni. Danny’s commitment to athlete-centered care, performance optimization, and lifelong learning reflects the values of the profession and the impact Jefferson graduates continue to make in their communities.

Congratulations, Danny, on this remarkable achievement and the beginning of an exciting new chapter. We look forward to following the continued growth of Moe Rehab & Sports Performance and the positive impact it will have on athletes throughout South Jersey and beyond.

🎙️ New Podcast Episode | Central Neural Drive and Breathing in Down SyndromeCongratulations to my colleagues, Dr. Jay Na...
06/29/2026

🎙️ New Podcast Episode | Central Neural Drive and Breathing in Down Syndrome

Congratulations to my colleagues, Dr. Jay Nair and Dr. Helen Milligan, on being featured on the Down Syndrome Center Podcast to discuss their innovative research exploring central neural drive and breathing in individuals with Down syndrome. Their work examines an exciting and emerging area of research that has the potential to deepen our understanding of respiratory health and inform future clinical care for individuals with Down syndrome.

This episode offers valuable insights for clinicians, researchers, students, and families interested in Down syndrome, respiratory function, and translational research.

🎧 To listen, search for the "Down Syndrome Center Podcast" on your favorite podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and others) and look for Episode #228: "Central Neural Drive and Breathing in Down Syndrome."

Congratulations, Dr. Nair and Dr. Milligan, on advancing such meaningful work and sharing it with the broader community!

Congratulations to Dr. Karla Bell and her collaborative research team on being recognized as the Runner-Up in the Health...
06/08/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Karla Bell and her collaborative research team on being recognized as the Runner-Up in the Health Equity category at the 2026 Thomas Jefferson University Health Equity & Quality Improvement Summit!

Their poster, "Assessing Provider Readiness in Using Inclusive Practices in LGBTQIA+ Care," was recognized among a strong field of projects focused on advancing equitable healthcare and improving outcomes for diverse patient populations.

Hosted by the Department of Medicine, the 2026 Health Equity & Quality Improvement Summit brought together healthcare professionals, educators, researchers, and learners committed to advancing quality, safety, and equity across healthcare systems. The poster session showcased innovative scholarship and quality improvement initiatives that have the potential to drive meaningful change in healthcare delivery.

This recognition highlights the team's ongoing efforts to develop and validate tools that assess healthcare providers' readiness to engage in inclusive practices when caring for LGBTQIA+ individuals. By advancing understanding in this important area, their work contributes to creating more welcoming, affirming, and equitable healthcare experiences for all patients.

We are proud to celebrate this achievement and the collaborative efforts of this outstanding interprofessional team.

Project Title: Readiness for Change in Provider Behavior for Inclusive Practices: A Measurement Development Study
Authors: Karla A. Bell, PhD (she/they); Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH; Richard Hass, PhD; Amy Cunningham, PhD, MPH; Lisa VanHoose, PT, PhD, MPH; Devon Werner, PT, DPT, NCS; Caitlyn M. Moore, DNP, MS, CRNP, ACHPN; Dimitrios Papanagnou, MD, EdD, MPH; Aiden Echols, SPT; Aniah Gibbons, SPT

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Bell and her colleagues on this well-deserved recognition!

🌍✨ Interdisciplinary. Global. Impactful. ✨🌍🌍🧠 Where design meets rehabilitation.In a dynamic, interdisciplinary collabor...
05/05/2026

🌍✨ Interdisciplinary. Global. Impactful. ✨🌍🌍🧠 Where design meets rehabilitation.

In a dynamic, interdisciplinary collaboration, Jefferson DPT students partnered with peers from the architecture program and the interior design program, along with international architectural engineering students, to reimagine a courtyard space for a future Exposome Lab—an innovative research initiative focused on how environmental exposures impact health and neural recovery. 🌱

Based in Lecco at the Politecnico di Milano 🇮🇹, students explored how the built environment impacts mobility, accessibility, and participation—often logging 20,000+ steps per day while analyzing real-world design. 🚶‍♀️🏙️

💡 From a DPT lens, students:
• Applied principles of movement, function, and participation to design
• Presented on inclusive design and mobility
• Integrated concepts like biophilia to support health and healing 🌿
• Collaborated with experts from Moss Rehabilitation Research Center

The goal: translate complex science into spaces that actively promote healing, recovery, and human connection.

📸 The experience was recently featured at the CABE Design Students & Milan Physical Therapy Students “PoPuP” Photo Exhibit highlighting innovation, collaboration, and the impact of DPT perspectives beyond traditional clinical settings.

👏 Shoutout to faculty leaders David Kratzer, Ivano D’Angelo, Stephanie Muth, and Lou Hunter for guiding this experience!

⁉️Did you ever wonder how we learn to move?⁉️ 🧠💃In the Movement Systems course, our first-year DPT students brought moto...
05/02/2026

⁉️Did you ever wonder how we learn to move?⁉️ 🧠💃

In the Movement Systems course, our first-year DPT students brought motor learning to life by applying theory to dance. 💡 Working in assigned groups, students were challenged to learn a completely new, randomized dance sequence, moving step-by-step from the cognitive stage (figuring out what to do), to the associative stage (refining timing and coordination), and finally toward the autonomous stage, where movements became smoother and more confident. 🔄✨

Throughout the process, students intentionally applied multiple motor learning theories, including Fitts and Posner’s stages of learning, schema theory, and dynamic systems theory, to guide how they practiced and improved. 📚 Groups experimented with a variety of practice schedules, such as blocked versus random practice, and adapted strategies to accommodate different learning styles, including visual, verbal, and kinesthetic approaches. 🎯👀🗣️

Students also reflected on how feedback influenced performance, comparing intrinsic feedback to extrinsic feedback, and distinguishing between knowledge of performance and knowledge of results as they progressed. 🔍📈 Videos documented their learning journey, clearly showing improvements in accuracy, coordination, and confidence over time. 🎥🙌

The experience culminated in a live performance during “Jefferson’s Got Talent,” where each group explained how motor learning principles shaped their practice and performance. 🎤🎉 While student voting resulted in a tie for best presentation, every participant walked away a winner, demonstrating that with thoughtful practice, feedback, and theory-driven decision making, complex movement skills can be learned successfully. 🏆👏

A perfect blend of science, creativity, and movement in action! 🧠🎨💥

We extend our congratulations to our PPOTD Faculty, students and Alumni in their accomplishments during the AOTA Inspire...
05/01/2026

We extend our congratulations to our PPOTD Faculty, students and Alumni in their accomplishments during the AOTA Inspire Presentations. Congratulations: Dr. Clements, Jenna Nguyen, Dr. Emily Korte-Stroff, Dr. Pamela Talero-Cabrejo, Nandita Singh, and Alan Cook! Your hard work does not go unnoticed

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