[MRS Roster]

The Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Sciences [MRS] study section evaluates applications pertaining to the biological mechanisms and therapeutics of impaired physical functioning, as well as exercise and physical manipulation, as rehabilitation strategies as they relate to the musculoskeletal system. The study section reviews both regular research (R01, R21, and R03) applications as well as Small Business and Technology Transfer (SBIR and STTR) applications relevant to the topics covered. 

Specific areas covered by MRS: 

• Rehabilitation strategies related to neural control of movement (including stroke, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease) and function (including carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive stress injuries, low back pain) as well as strategies to prevent additional disabilities.  
•   Studies of gait and movement involving kinematics of movement and neural control of movement or function in altered states as compared to normal.  
• Motor control in integrated limb function including studies of individuals with impairment or altered function compared to normal.  
• Prostheses and orthotics, including neural prosthetics related to the musculoskeletal system.  
• Robotic interventions to restore limb function.  
• Biomechanics related to skeletal muscle activation and control in rehabilitation.  
• Rehabilitative therapeutic interventions of the musculoskeletal system.  
• Patient-oriented studies of rehabilitative medicine.  
• Mechanisms of exercise in relation to disability.  
• Use of traditional and alternative therapies in the treatment of physical impairments.  
• SBIR/STTR studies relative to the physiological and bioengineering principles of rehabilitation medicine, assistive technologies and devices.  These include gait analysis and human motion, monitoring of body external body movements and temperature, orthotics, prosthetic development and devices for motor function, wheelchairs and mobility aids, and exercise equipment.  
  
  

MRS has the following shared interests within the MOSS IRG: 

• Skeletal Biology Development and Disease [SBDD] and Skeletal Biology Structure and Regeneration [SBSR]: Clinical studies of bone fragility (osteoporosis) may be reviewed in SBDD. Studies of joint mechanics, or joint replacement, when the emphasis is internal to the tissue/body may be reviewed in SBSR. Investigations involving prosthetics or orthotics external to the body can be assigned to MRS. Similarly, studies of the repair of elements of the musculoskeletal system (using biomaterials, mechanical/cellular approaches, tissue engineering strategies), when the emphasis is internal to the tissue/body, can be reviewed in SBSR. Investigations related to the use or development of external devices/strategies for rehabilitation may be assigned to MRS. 
  
  
• Skeletal Muscle Biology and Exercise Physiology [SMEP]: Studies dealing with exercise and inactivity that focus on skeletal muscle growth and regeneration, contractile activity, or metabolism may be assigned to SMEP.  Investigations of the use of exercise in rehabilitation that are concerned with multiple aspects of the musculoskeleton, can be assigned to MRS. Studies that focus on strategies to compensate for atrophied tissue using engineering or other less direct approaches, and studies to prevent disuse atrophy as a complication of existing disabilities, can be assigned to MRS.  

MRS has the following shared interests outside the MOSS IRG: 

• With the Biology of Development and Aging [BDA] IRG: Studies of aging, disability and rehabilitation medicine are shared with BDA.  Studies on musculoskeletal rehabilitation medicine involving interactions with age-related changes in other physiological systems could be assigned to the BDA IRG when musculoskeletal function and rehabilitation are not the primary focus.  This includes both studies of effects of age-related skeletal or muscle changes on other systems and effects of age-related changes in other systems on skeletal or muscle tissues. Studies of musculoskeletal tissue that are testing hypotheses about mechanisms of aging that affect multiple systems or non-muscle tissues could be assigned to the BDA IRG.  When musculoskeletal rehabilitation is the primary study focus, assignment may be to MRS. 
  
  
  
• With the Health of the Population [HOP] IRG: Applications related to the socio-environmental influences, community-based interventions, nursing sciences, or nursing practice could be reviewed in the HOP IRG. Investigations dealing with the functional consequences of the intervention on physical well being (e.g., the effect of exercise on increased flexibility, or the effect of a prosthesis on greater mobility) may be evaluated in MRS.  
  
  
• With the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRG: Applications related to studies of behavioral approaches to, and consequences of rehabilitation interventions can be assigned to the RPHB IRG.  Investigations of the functional consequences of the intervention on physical well being may be evaluated in MRS.  
  
  
• With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG: There are mutual interests in motor control, problems of development and aging in the musculoskeletal system, and rehabilitative interventions. Neurobehavioral aspects of movement in humans and developmental motor issues (including cerebral palsy) could be assigned to BBBP. Behavioral intervention and rehabilitation strategies, including occupational and/or physical therapy, may be also evaluated in BBBP. If the focus of the rehabilitation strategy is to improve the physical well being of the individual or if the emphasis is on the rehabilitation of muscle and/or orthopedic function (e.g., in stroke, Parkinson's disease), the application may be reviewed by MRS.   
  
  
• With the Surgical Sciences, Biomedical Imaging, and Bioengineering [SBIB] IRG: Studies of bioengineering and imaging are appropriate for MRS when the focus is physical rehabilitation.  Studies on technology development could be assigned to the SBIB IRG.  
  
  
• With the Brain Disorders and Clinical Neurosciences [BDCN] IRG: MRS and the BDCN IRG have shared interests with respect to neuroprosthetic research on recovery and rehabilitation.  MRS has broad expertise in physical therapy, physiology, and non-neuronal systems (specifically the musculoskeletal system), while the BDCN IRG has particular expertise in the neural basis of rehabilitation and recovery.  As a consequence, studies related to rehabilitation of individuals with neural diseases that have an emphasis on the neural process may be assigned to the BDCN IRG.  When the emphasis is on the rehabilitation of muscle and/or orthopaedic function (e.g., in stroke, Parkinson's disease), the application could be assigned to MRS.