Department of Medicine

University of Pittsburgh

Division of Geriatric Medicine
3471 Fifth Ave
Kaufmann Medical Building,
Suite 500
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: (412) 692-2360

Research

Research Expenditures in Geriatric Medicine

Research in Geriatric Medicine Overview

  • Incontinence in the elderly: Neurophysiological mechanisms and approach to treatment.
  • Rehabilitation in the elderly: New approaches to treatment and outcomes.
  • Chronic pain in the elderly: New approaches to treatment.
  • Healthy elderly

Division Research

Nationally-recognized and NIH-funded in many areas, the Division's research includes cancer, dementia, depression, falls, frailty, heart disease, incontinence, infections, mobility, osteoporosis, pain, pharmacotherapy, and sarcopenia.

For more information about our specific research endeavors please review the listing below or click on the link above to download the list.

Balance and Mobility Research

  • Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center
    PI: S. Studenski
    Description: A concentrated, multidisciplinary effort to understand causes and consequences and to develop innovative treatments is needed to address these disorders.
    Study Website
  • Postural Control in the Elderly: The Role of Attention
    PI: M. Redfern
    Funding Agency: NIH
    Description: The goals of this study are to determine the relationship between postural control and attentional resource allocation in young and elderly, to investigate the dynamics of attention and postural control during balance recovery in young and elderly, and to investigate the effect of increasing attentional resource allocation on postural control during balance recovery in the young and elderly.
  • Virtual Reality for Balance Rehabilitation
    PI: M. Redfern
    Funding Agency: NIH
    Description: The overall goal of this project is to develop a novel rehabilitation tool for the treatment of patients with balance disorders using virtual reality.
  • Biomechanics of Slips in Older Adults
    PI: M. Redfern
    Funding Agency: NIOSH
    Description: The goal of this study will assess the effects of age, gender, lower extremity strength and postural stability on the biomechanical recovery profiles of people during slip events.
  • Biomechanics of Human Reactions to Slip Events
    PI: M. Redfern
    Funding Agency: NIOSH
    Description: The goal of this study will explore age and gender effects on the biomechanics of recovery from slipping conditions and examine the effects of warnings on slip-fall potential.

Chronic Pain and Pain Management Research

  • Functional Impact of PENS for 65+ Chronic Low Back Pain
    PI: D. Weiner
    Funding Agency: NIH
    Description: The specific aims of this study are to: (a) test the effectiveness of PENS in reducing pain intensity in community-dwelling older adults with CLBP, and (b) test the effectiveness of combining PENS with a general conditioning and aerobic exercise program (GCAE) to improve the pain-related disability of these patients.
  • Osteopuncture for OA-associated Knee Pain and Disability
    PI: D. Weiner
    Funding Agency: NIH
    Description: The specific aims of this study are: (1) to reduce pain severity and disability in community-dwelling older adults with OA-associated chronic knee pain using parosteal electroacupuncture (osteopuncture). (2) to improve the physical performance, psychosocial function, sleep, and appetite of these individuals.

Cancer Research

  • Integrating Cancer and Aging at Pitt
    Co-PI: S. Studenski
    Funding Agency: NIH
    Description: The goal is to establish a Cancer and Aging Program within the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The core mission of the Cancer and Aging Program will be to develop and test interventions to improve health outcomes in older persons with cancer.

Research Centers of Excellence