September 2002 Profiles of Excellence. (Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants).

The Foundation's mission is to advance the physical therapy profession through support for scientifically based and clinically relevant physical therapy research. Mentors provide the expertise, guidance, and support needed in the early stages of the development of successful research careers and are essential to the advancement of the field of physical therapy for their contribution to the sustainability of the research enterprise. Outstanding physical therapist researchers funded by the Foundation early in their research careers, continue to contribute to the field of physical therapy long after their Foundation funding ends.

The following are 3 of the many outstanding Foundation recipient mentors who nurture developing physical therapist researchers.

Amy Bastian, PT, PhD, Director, Motion Analysis Lab, Kennedy Krieger Institute, and Assistant Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical School, received Foundation funding in 1994 and 1995 for her doctoral studies and dissertation research, "Contrasting Motor Deficits from Damage to Medial and Lateral Cerebellar Zones." Dr Bastian is the recipient of a 4-year R01 grant from the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR), "Mechanisms and Rehabilitation of Cerebellar Ataxia," for her research on how cerebellar lesions affect motor control and learning. She mentored Valerie Kelly, PT (2001 and 2002 PODS), and Susanne Morton, PT (2001 and 2002 PODS), Foundation funding recipients from the University of Washington, St Louis. Dr Bastian is also a mentor of Catherine E Lang, PT, PhD, and Gammon Earhart, PT, PhD, Foundation PODS scholarship recipients in 1998 and 1999. Drs Lang and Earhart are presently National Research Service Award (NSRA) Post-Doctoral fellows at NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Christopher Powers, PT, PhD, Assistant Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, and Director, Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Laboratory, University of Southern California, received Foundation funding from 1993 to 1995 for research on "The Role of the Vasti in Patellar Kinematics and Patellofemoral Pain." His 2001 Foundation research grant was awarded for his project, "The Effects of a Single Intervention on Pain Response and Lumbar Segmental Mobility in Persons With Low Back Pain: A Comparison of Spine Mobilization and Active Extension Using Dynamic MRI." Dr Powers is working on a 2-year grant from the National Athletic Training Association for research on "Biomechanical and Neuromuscular Aspects of Non-Contact ACL Injuries: The Influence of Gender, Experience and Training," and has received a grant from the Whitaker Foundation for research on the biomechanical determinants of patellofemoral stress.

Dr Powers currently mentors 6 doctoral students, 3 of whom are recent Foundation funding recipients: Susan Sigward, PT (2001 PODS), Samuel Ward, PT (2001, 2002 PODS), and Judy Burnfield, PT (1998, 1999 PODS). Dr Powers has also mentored Foundation recipients Jacklyn G Heino-Brechter, PT (1993, 1998 PODS) and Gretchen Salsich, PT, PhD (1999 NIFTI). "Being a graduate student mentor has been an extremely rewarding experience," said Powers. "The funding that doctoral students receive from the Foundation for Physical Therapy allows them to pursue areas of research that are important for the profession of physical therapy."

Faye B Horak, PT, PhD, Senior Scientist, Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University, received a Foundation grant in 1989 for her project, "The Effects of Vestibular Rehabilitation on Vertigo and Postural Dys-control in Patients With Peripheral Ves-tibular Disorders." Dr Horak is a member of the Research Subcommittee of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) of the National Institute of Child and Maternal Health of NIH that evaluates the merit of program projects and fellowships submitted to NCMRR. She is also the recipient of grants from the National Institute on Aging to evaluate the effects of deep brain stimulation on posture and oromotor control, and the effects of light touch from a cane on postural stability and on stepping for postural correction. Dr Horak also has received grants from the National Institute of Deafness and Communicative Disorders (NIDCD) for her research on vestibular and somatosensory substitution and on spatial orientation for locomotion and inclined surfaces.

Dr. Horak mentors Foundation funding recipients Anne Kelly Gross, PT, MPT (1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 PODS) and JoAnn Kluzik, PT, MS, PCS (1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 PODS). Ms Gross' research investigates why many patients with Parkinson disease stand and walk with a narrow base of support, despite their poor balance, and how healthy subjects and patients with Parkinson disease take compensatory steps in response to a large postural perturbation in lateral direction. Ms Kluzik's dissertation research is aimed at understanding how sensory information is used to control postural orientation when adapting to changes in support surface inclination. Both Ms Gross and Ms Kluzik work in Dr Horak's Human Postural Laboratory.