Affiliated Research Centers
UF & Shands Orthopedics
Sports Medicine Institute
Established to consolidate patient-oriented research and clinical services,
the UF&Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute provides a
dynamic climate for orthopaedic medical care. The spacious 127,000 square
foot facility became open to the public in September 2004. Over 250 medical
and support staff work collaboratively to treat a full range of musculoskeletal
conditions.
McKnight Brain Institute
The Evelyn F. & William L. McKnight Brain Institute of the University
of Florida (MBI-UF) is one of the world's largest research institutions
devoted to the challenges resulting from brain and nervous system disorders.
The MBI-UF's research and educational programs incorporate over 300 faculty
from 57 academic departments and 11 colleges. The mission of the Evelyn
F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida
is to: (a) provide the intellectual and physical infrastructure to support
rapid advances in the fundamental understanding of the normal and injured
or diseased nervous system using the most contemporary tools in the research
armamentarium, e.g., from molecular biology to live imaging and neurorehabilitation
and (b) support the development of multidisciplinary teams and approaches
that are focused on rapidly translating these fundamental findings into
clinical and commercial applications.
Powell Gene Therapy Center
The primary mission of the Gene Therapy Center at the University of
Florida is to merge molecular genetics research and health care delivery
by developing new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of human diseases
that involve gene transfer. The idea of gene therapy is a logical and natural
progression of the last 20 years of research in medical genetics and molecular
biology. The Powell Gene Therapy Center has been instrumental in the development
of newer, safer agents for the delivery of therapeutic genes to patients
with genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and alpha 1-antitrypsin
deficiency (AAT-D). UF has just been named one of only two National
Gene Vector Laboratory (NGVL) Toxicology Centers by the National Center
for Research Resources, a Division of NIH.
Center for Exercise Science, UF
College of Health and Human Performance
The Center for Exercise Science at the University of Florida is a multidisciplinary
research facility operated in cooperation among the Departments of Applied
Physiology and Kinesiology (College of Health and Human Performance), Medicine
(Division of Cardiology), and Physiology (College of Medicine). The Center
provides a quality exercise science research program to study the comprehensive
effect of exercise on the human body including biomechanics, physiology,
psychology, sports medicine and motor behavior. Studies are conducted
on a variety of populations including normal healthy men and women, cardiac
and pulmonary patients, elderly persons, elite athletes, and animal models.
UF Institute on Aging
The Institute on Aging serves as the major catalyst for developing models
and synergisms in the areas of research, education and health care across
all Colleges and Departments at the University of Florida and its affiliates
to provide regional and national models of health care, which will improve
the health and quality of life of older adults. The program focuses on the
mechanisms and pre-clinical models in relation to cognitive and physical
decline, and will develop a clinical research infrastructure, while also
fostering outcome analyses of new interventions and models/systems of care
for prevention, rehabilitation, and dissemination in the community. The
research program is focused on a common theme, "the etiology, prevention
and rehabilitation of cognitive and physical disability", which is being
pursued using an interdisciplinary approach that traverses the entire spectrum
of social and biomedical investigation.
Brooks Center for Rehabilitation Studies
The Brooks Center for Rehabilitation Studies was created in 1999, as
a result of a collaboration between the College of Health Professions at
the University of Florida and Brooks Health System, Jacksonville, FL. The
Center was endowed with a $5 million gift from the Brooks Health Care Sysytem
in 2000. The goal of the Center is to foster a strong relationship between
scientific medical research and the application of rehabilitation, particularly
the treatment of individuals with brain and spinal cord injuries. The Brooks
Center will endeavor to create recommendations about "best practices" in
this ever changing and highly individual discipline of medicine.
Center for Telehealth and Healthcare
Communications
The University of Florida Center for Telehealth facilitates collaborative
multidisciplinary research on distance approaches to healthcare research,
service, and education. The Center for Telehealth supports scientific investigation
and clinical training in telehealth by providing specialized technology
research, educational, and clinical support services.
Rehabilitation Engineering
Research Center on Technology for Successful Aging
The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology for Successful
Aging (RERC-Tech-Aging), a University of Florida (UF) initiative, was established
in October, 2001. The primary focus of the Center is to promote independence
and quality of life for older people with disabilities through technology
- devices that can make everyday tasks easier to complete. This RERC-Tech-Aging
is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR) and its core focus is research and development on communications,
home monitoring, and "smart" technology for older persons.
VA RR & D Brain Rehabilitation Research
Center
The mission of the Brain Rehabilitation Research Center (BRRC) is to
improve the quality of life of survivors of injury to or disease of the
nervous system and to maximize their functional abilities within their communities
and families. The BRRC houses the UF-VA Human Motor Performance Lab for
analysis of the neuromuscular and biomechanical control of walking and upper
extremity function in persons with movement dysfunction.
VA HSR & D, RR &D Rehabilitation
Outcomes Research Center
The mission of the Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center (RORC) for
Veterans With Central Nervous System Damage (CNS) is to enhance access,
quality, and efficiency of rehabilitation services through interdisciplinary
research and dissemination activities.
