Research & Scholarly Activity

Research Centers

Center for Asian Health
The Center, established in 2000, was one of the nation's first centers dedicated to reducing cancer and other health disparities among Asian Americans. The Center?s programs provide a cultural bridge for the underserved and uninsured through a community-based participatory model that incorporates multilevel effort in research, training, community health programs and clinics, and research dissemination. Grace X. Ma, Ph.D., Professor of Public Health, is founder and director of the Center for Asian Health.

Center for Preparedness Research, Education, and Practice (C-PREP)
C-PREP is an interdisciplinary research and practice center that partners with state and local government agencies and emergency response organizations to study and improve emergency preparedness and capacity to respond both within Pennsylvania and beyond. C-PREP projects focus on the topics of special populations, risk communication, policy, and psycho-social aspects of public preparedness. Alice Hausman, Ph.D., MPH, Professor and Chair of Public Health, is the Executive Director.

Neuromuscular Function Laboratory
The Neuromuscular Function Laboratory, part of the Department of Occupational Therapy, is an applied research site dedicated to the study of neuromuscular function and processes with the use of non-invasive physiological assessment techniques. Specific areas of focus include the study of muscle metabolism and fatigue using near-infrared spectroscopy; research on peripheral and central nervous system responses to sensory stimuli associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, and Sensory Defensiveness/Sensory Integration Disorders; and research on the neurophysiological substrates of specific cognitive abilities using electroencephalography. Sinclair Smith, Sc.D. is the Director.

Center for Obesity Research and Education (CORE)
The Center for Obesity Research and Education is a university-wide group of investigators dedicated to excellence in obesity research. Its mission is to facilitate interdisciplinary research on the etiology, consequences, treatment and prevention of obesity. Research ranges from basic science to epidemiology. A particular focus of the Center is developing a greater understanding of the causes, treatment and prevention of obesity among minorities of lower socioeconomic status, among whom obesity is more prevalent. Melissa A. Napolitano, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Kinesiology, serve on the CORE faculty.

The Social & Behavioral Health Interventions Laboratory (SBHI)
The mission of the SBHI laboratory is to develop, evaluate and disseminate social and behavioral interventions to promote mental and physical health, with a special interest in promoting health and well-being in vulnerable populations. Stephen J. Lepore, Ph.D., is the Director.

The Health Behavior Research Clinic (HBRC)
The HBRC, in the Department of Public Health, focuses on prevention and treatment of behavioral health problems that contribute to physical and mental illness. The HBRC has particular interest in studying factors that contribute to the health behavior change process and in improving treatments for underserved and vulnerable groups with unique health risks, such as women and children, minorities, and special patient populations (e.g., asthma, cancer, obesity). Bradley N. Collins, Ph.D. is the Director.

The Biostatistics Research Suppport Center (BRSC)
The BRSC offers comprehensive statistical consultation and computational services to faculty, staff, and students in the College of Health Professions and throughout Temple University. BRSC personnel are available for discussion at all stages of research, including preparation of grants and contracts, assistance in analyzing and presenting research data, and statistical review of manuscripts in the publication process.

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
Faculty in the Department of Communications Sciences examines language development and language disorders in children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Current projects focus on phonological development and disorders, the relationship between parents’ language and children’s language skills, and a typology of bilingualism in Spanish-English bilingual children (Aquiles Iglesias, Ph.D., Brian Goldstein, Ph.D., Ferenc Bunta, Ph.D., Patricia Swasey Washington, M.S., and Raúl Rojas, M.A.) as well as a longitudinal study on the language acquisition of children adopted from China (Rena Krakow, Ph.D.).

Biokinetics Research Laboratory (BRL)
The mission of the BRL is to advance the discipline of kinesiology through research and scholarly activities pertaining to movement in and of the human organism. The mission is accomplished through independent and collaborative activities within the Department of Kinesiology's Behavioral sciences (Curriculum and Instruction, & Exercise and Sport Psychology) and Somatic sciences (Athletic Training; Hypertension, Molecular, and Applied Physiology; & Skeletal Adaptation and Development).

Eleanor M. Saffran Center for Cognitive Neuroscience
This research center specializes in the study of neurologically-based disorders of language and other cognitive processes. Research in the Aphasia Research Laboratory (Nadine Martin, Ph.D., Director) focuses on the interface of short-term memory and language impairments and development of theoretically-based treatments of these disorders. Research in the Cognitive Neuropsychology Laboratory (Gerry Stefanatos, D.Phil., Director) focuses on studies of the efficacy of behavioral and psychopharmacologic treatments in disorders of language, spatial cognition, and attention.

Ergonomics and Work Physiology Laboratory

The Ergonomics and Work Physiology Laboratory, housed in the Department of Public Health, is a research center for the study of work?related injuries. With the overarching goal of prevention of these injuries, the Laboratory aims to identify the ergonomic exposures of jobs through work simulations. Through characterization of physiological measures during such simulations, the researchers aim to discover more about the pathophysiology of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Judith Gold, Sc.D. is the Director.

Center for Intergenerational Learning

The Center for Intergenerational Learning began in 1979. Its primary mission is to address the social issues effecting vulnerable populations of people by fostering partnerships between organizations in the youth/family and aging networks. The goals of the Center are to:

• Collaborate with cross-generational groups to address community concerns;
• Raise public awareness of the importance of service in the community;
• Foster partnerships between the generations;
• Develop new inter-generational programs;
• Provide evaluation of new models and programs;
• Strengthen the capacity of organizations to provide services; and
• Increase the understanding of the impact of inter-generational activities.