Faculty Research

BRIDGE Lab

Building Rehabilitation Implementation through Dissemination, Guidance, and Evidence (BRIDGE) lab is led by Dr. Teresa Green. BRIDGE Lab’s purpose is to increase the consistent use of evidence-based interventions in stroke rehabilitation. We aim to close the gap between research and clinical practice by partnering with clinicians, community partners and institutions to ensure stroke survivors receive effective care.

SPARC Lab

Supporting Places of Aging, Reimagining Community (SPARC) lab is led by Dr. Kendra Heatwole Shank. Our mission is to develop evidence-based interventions and programs that support meaningful participation and health-related quality of life while aging in place and aging in community. Our vision is to be part of a national reimagining of how communities are shaped and strengthened by demographic changes, where aging is not a liability but rather a resource for the health and well-being of all members of society.

CARE Lab

Cultivating Community Care and Accessibility in Rehabilitation and Education (CARE) lab is led by Dr. Jenna Heffron. The CARE Lab is committed to expanding access to meaningful activities and community life for people of all backgrounds. We focus on reducing participation disparities that arise from sociocultural and environmental barriers, regardless of disability status. We aim to build community through practices of care and accessibility within rehabilitation and educational settings.

Pathways Lab

Dr. Miranda Donnelly leads the Pathways Lab, where her research focuses on supporting meaningful roles and occupational engagement among individuals living with long-term effects of stroke. A particular emphasis of her work is understanding the long-term needs of young adult stroke survivors as they navigate evolving social, work, and family roles. Grounded in occupational science and informed by implementation science, her research uses community-engaged approaches that prioritize multiple pathways for stroke survivors to actively engage in the research process. The long-term goal of this work is to create actionable pathways to participation and tailored interventions that promote sustained recovery and quality of life after stroke.

Best Practices in OT Intervention for Brachial Plexus Birth Injury

Dr. Jennifer Wingrat's research focuses on best practices in the therapeutic management of infants and children with brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI), specifically related to the efficacy of interventions to prevent contractures, maximize functional outcomes, and facilitate parent participation in home therapy recommendations.  Research questions include determining whether there is a frequency of passive range of motion (PROM) required to prevent shoulder contractures during the first year of life in children with BPBI, as well as identifying barriers and facilitators to caregiver compliance with home therapy recommendations for performing daily PROM. Dr. Wingrat affiliated with the multidisciplinary brachial plexus clinic at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore where she recently completed a pilot study with Dr. Matthew Elrick, pediatric neurologist at Kennedy Krieger and Johns Hopkins Medical Institution. Future plans include expanding on the findings of the pilot study to develop a research protocol for patients at the multidisciplinary brachial plexus clinic at Kennedy Krieger and/or All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Experiences of Military Students and Veterans with Horses for Heroes

Dr. Jenna Yeager's research has been focused on the experiences of military and veteran students, including a specific focus on females and on those who are mothers. Qualitative methods have included photo voice and photo elicitation, as well as interviews and focus groups. Collaborators include the Military and Veterans Center at TU and the Heroes and Horses Program at Taking the Lead Farm.