The Department of Kinesiology conducts research that provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to actively engage in the research process.

Areas of Research

Adaptations to Repetitive Motion and Stress (ARMS)

ARMS research focuses on the adaptation of tissues to stress and overuse specifically at the shoulder, addressing clinically relevant questions that bridge the gap between bench and bedside. Current research investigates the structural and biologic mechanisms governing soft tissue adaptation caused by the repetitive stress of throwing and the structural, neuromuscular, and biologic adaptations occurring due to chronic rotator cuff tears and repairs.
Contact PI Stephen Thomas

Neuromotor Science (NMS) Research Consortium

The NMS Research Consortium is a state-of-the-art research facility consisting of the following interdisciplinary laboratories investigating a range of basic and clinical issues in human sensorimotor neuroscience. Full-time faculty and undergraduate/graduate students/postdoctoral fellows are housed in a common space to promote interaction/discussion, providing a rich scientific atmosphere to share ideas through journal clubs and invited lectures.

Sport Concussion Laboratory

The mission of the Sport Concussion Laboratory is to broaden our understanding of brain injury. We conduct clinical research and, through collaboration with basic scientists, translational research connecting basic science and clinical practice. We are particularly interested in elucidating the mechanisms underlying variable cellular and clinical responses to mechanical stress imparted during concussive and sub-concussive head impacts.
Contact PI Jane McDevitt

Translational Exercise Biology Laboratory

The mission of the Translational Exercise Biology Laboratory is to elucidate molecular genetic mechanisms underlying physiological and pathological adaptations in cardiovascular system by conducting translational research with genomics being the common theme. We are particularly interested in cellular adaptations to mechanical / biological / biochemical stimulations associated with a regular practice of physical activity.

Temple Research Immersive Balance and Locomotion (TRIBAL) Lab

Tribal lab

The Temple Research Immersive Balance and Locomotion (TRIBAL) Lab is a shared resource of all NMS faculty. The primary goal of the TRIBAL lab is to understand the neural and biomechanical basis of human balance and locomotion. Individuals stand or walk in a room-sized virtual reality cave that allows precise control of the visual surround along with input from vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile sensory systems. Balance control mechanisms can then be studied with regard to processes that fuse information from multiple sensory systems. Computational methods combine mechanisms of multisensory fusion with biomechanical investigations of multilink body dynamics to develop new techniques and “smart health technology” to improve mobility in patient populations with balance disorders including Parkinson’s disease, individuals with the loss of inner ear (vestibular) function, elderly individuals at risk of falling and athletes who have experienced concussion.