MSKTC Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems

MSKTC Exhibits at 2013 Promising Practices for Healing Psychological Trauma of Service Members, Veterans, Family, and Community

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:53:00 +0000

The MSKTC participated in the 2013 Promising Practices for Healing Psychological Trauma of Service Members, Veterans, Family, and Community on May 10, 2013 in Fairfax, Virginia. During this event MSKTC staff displayed and highlighted the work of the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems and distributed factsheets based on TBI Model Systems research. View the conference program for additional information.

Dr. Jeffrey Kreutzer – “Ask Me Anything” On Reddit (AMA)

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:47:00 +0000

The MSKTC invites you to join Dr. Jeff Kreutzer, director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Traumatic Brain Injury Model System, as he answers questions about traumatic brain injury (TBI), common changes in family and couples’ relationships, and strategies to be successful. This session will be held on May 22, 2013 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST on Reddit! For more information visit the MSKTC Web site.

To learn more about Dr. Kreutzer's work: http://www.pmr.vcu.edu/Department/directory/faculty/jkreutzer/jkreutzer.aspx

Click here to view a video about Dr. Kreutzer's work with one couple after a traumatic brain injury: http://www.msktc.org/tbi/Hot-Topics/Relationships/Relationships-after-TBI

Would you like to join the discussion? Here is what you need to do:

To join the discussion, create a free Reddit account here (all you need is a username and a password to join: https://ssl.reddit.com/login)
Check back here at on Wednesday, May 22 at 12:50 pm EST. At that time, we’ll post a live link to the Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread.
If you have any questions about participating in the event, please email my colleagues at the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center: MSKTC@air.org. They are prepared to help you!

TBI Model Systems Wins Telly Award

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:52:00 +0000

Relationships After Traumatic Brain Injury, a video produced by the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC), was awarded a Bronze Telly Award for outstanding achievement in the category of Internet Online Video: Education. The 12-minute video shows the impact of traumatic brain injury on a couple’s relationship and how the couple worked with researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Center to improve their relationship. The video was produced as part of the Hot Topics module series. View the video here.

TBI Model System Co-Sponsors Conference

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:53:00 +0000

Virginia Commonwealth University Traumatic Brain Injury Model System and Brain Injury Services co–sponsored the 37th Annual Conference, Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child with Brain Injury: Practical Solutions to Real World Problems held May 1st -3rd in Williamsburg, Virginia. This conference highlighted traumatic brain injury model systems research and clinical programs, and included internationally renowned speakers and attracted more than 150 participants. Neil Brooks, a visionary brain injury researcher and clinician presented the keynote Rosenthal Memorial Lecture. Presentations addressed a wide variety of topics including executive function disorders, sports concussion, cognitive support technologies, behavior management, neuropsychological assessment, community-based treatment, and family intervention. Planning for the 2014 conference is now underway and the planning committee requests suggestions relating to speakers and topics. Visit the conference website for more information.

Creativity in Caregiving

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:21:00 +0000

On August 18, 2012, Thomas ("TC") Maslin was robbed and brutally assaulted while walking home in his Washington, DC neighborhood. His attack left him in a coma, fighting a severe traumatic brain injury that has required multiple surgeries. In the nearly nine months following his injury, TC, his wife, Abby, and son, Jack, have worked tirelessly as a team to help recover TC's severely impaired language and physical abilities. Using her expertise as a teacher and former therapist, Abby shares some of the wisdom that has helped guide her husband's recovery and put their family on a path to healing. Learn more about the principles that helped this couple move forward here.

Resource Highlight: Couples Relationships After Traumatic Brain Injury

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:13:00 +0000

The MSKTC is pleased to announce our new factsheet Couples Relationships After Traumatic Brain Injury. After traumatic brain injury (TBI), many couples find that their relationship with each other changes dramatically. Learn more about couples' relationships after a TBI by accessing the factsheet here.

Resource Highlight: Hot Topic Module: Relationships after TBI

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:08:00 +0000

The MSKTC is pleased to announce our new Hot Topic Module: Relationships after Traumatic Brain Injury. This hot topics series consists of a suite of resources to help individuals with traumatic brain injury and their partners enjoy meaningful and fulfilling relationships. It includes videos featuring Hugh and Rosemary Rawlins share how they worked with TBI Model System researchers to address challenges they faced after Hugh experienced a TBI. Access the Hot Topics Module here.

Model Systems Researchers Presented at the 15th Annual Conference of the American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology and Division 22 of the American Psychological Association

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:06:00 +0000

Dr. Denise Fyffe from Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury System and Dr. Anthony Lequerica from Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System gave a presentation at the 15th Annual Conference of the American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology and Division 22 of the American Psychological Association held last month, February 21st- 24th in Jacksonville Florida. The presentation was entitled, Clinical and research perspectives on cultural issues in rehabilitation. In this presentation, they highlighted some of the work that has been done through the Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems looking at health disparities and cultural issues associated with rehabilitation outcomes. View the conference schedule for more information.

Work of the TBIMS will be displayed at Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Work of the NNJTBIS Displayed at Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:08:00 +0000

Karen Nolan, Ph.D. and Anthony Lequerica, Ph.D. of the Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System (NNJTBIS) will attend Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill on March 13. They plan to disseminate copies of the NNJTBIS consumer newsletter and educated attendees on Kessler Foundation’s brain injury research and programs that expand disability employment opportunities. Representatives from the MSKTC, Rusk Rehabilitation Traumatic Brain Injury Model System, New York Traumatic Brain Injury Model System and UAB Traumatic Brain Injury Model System also attended the event.

Work of the TBIMS will be displayed at Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:58:00 +0000

The month of March marks Brain Injury Awareness Month. On Wednesday, March 13, 2013 the MSKTC will be attending the Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. There will be a Brain Injury Awareness Fair from 10:00 am- 2:00 pm located on the 1st Floor Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building. During this event staff from MSKTC will display and highlight the work of the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems and the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Data and Statistical Center. Also, in attendance will be representatives from Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System, UAB Traumatic Brain Injury Model System, and New York Traumatic Brain Injury Model System.

Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Featured in Article Published in The Atlantic

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:58:00 +0000

The work of Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (TBIMS) is the focus of new article in The Atlantic. The article titled The Brain Injury Data Project: One Soldier's Story, focuses on the value of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) 26 year investment in the TBIMS, resulting in longitudinal data that provide important guides to general and military TBI rehabilitation. The author cites the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Data and Statistical Center as "the gold standard for clinically describing the variations and possibilities in these patients' outcomes." Learn more about the TBIMS and the database.

Williamsburg TBI Rehabilitation Conference Registration Is Now Open

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:23:00 +0000

The Virginia Commonwealth University Traumatic Brain Injury Model System cordially invites you to register for the 37th Annual Williamsburg TBI Rehabilitation Conference, Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child with Brain Injury: Practical Solutions to Real-World Problems. A group of nationally and internationally renowned faculty has been assembled. Keynote presentations will focus on the law, policy, and practice; interdisciplinary approaches to community-based treatment; and neuropsychiatric management. Breakout sessions will focus on executive function disorders, cognitive support technologies, neuropsychology, aging, community-based neurobehavioral programming, survivor and caregiver perspectives, and sports concussion. The conference will feature peer-reviewed oral presentations by leaders in the field as well as indepth, hands-on training with two exceptional, day-long preconference workshops from which participants can choose, one on behavior management and the other on empirically based family intervention. For more information on the conference agenda, please visit the conference Web site.

MSKTC introduces Caris Peace

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:22:00 +0000

The MSKTC would like to highlight the work of Gaylen Ross & Rebecca Nelson on their 76 minute film Caris’ Peace. The film was released in 2011 with Lewis Black, Kate Burton, Caris Corfman, Nancy Giles, and Tony Shalhoub. The film is the story of New York Theater and film actress Caris Corfman, a brilliant graduate of the Yale School of Drama who as the result of a brain tumor lost her ability to make new memories. Filmed over 10 years, the documentary chronicles her courageous return to the stage, a comeback performance featured in The New York Times, and the fascinating ways she challenged her memory loss. This film captures what it is like to live trapped in the past, with only the thinnest slivers of the present.

Caris’ Peace premiered this year at the Hamptons International Film Festival, and was the official selection for the Williamstown Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Santa Fe Film Festival, with awards at the Calgary “Picture This” Film Festival on Disability, and 1st place for documentaries at the Athens International Film Festival in Ohio.

In New York, the film was featured as part of the Rubin Museum of Art’s prestigious Brainwave series, which paired moderators with neuroscientists for post film discussions. Dr. Barry Gordon of Johns Hopkins University (who is also in the film,) was part of the program as well as Dr. Andre Fenton, Dr. Robert Landry, of New York University, and Dr. John DeLuca of the Kessler Institute.

Dr. Robert Daroff of Case Western Reserve University moderated the post-discussion of the film for the Cleveland International Film Festival, and Dr. Peter Fox of University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio when the film was presented by the Austin Film Society. Please feel free to take a look at Caris Peace Trailer and for more information view the Caris Peace Facebook Page and spread the word about this wonderful documentary!

Call for Nominations of Papers for the 2010-2011 Rosenthal Award

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:10:00 +0000

Nominations for the 2010-2011 Rosenthal Awards are now being accepted. Winners will be announced at the June 2013 TBI Model Systems project directors meeting. The Rosenthal Award honors Dr. Mitchell Rosenthal by calling attention to his significant contribution to the TBI Model Systems National Database. The rules for nominating are as follows:

-Papers in hardcopy journals are considered only if published in the journal in calendar years 2010 or 2011; papers published in electronic journals are considered if they were posted in 2010-11.
-Peer reviewed: only papers published in peer-reviewed journals are considered.
-TBI Model Systems National Database: papers (e.g. from modules, collaborative research) that supplement the database information will be considered, but each paper should include at least some national database (i.e. form I and/or form II) data.
-2+ systems: the data from the national database should be from at least two model systems

Please send citations for papers authored by you and your staff to Dr. Marcel Dijkers from New York Traumatic Brain Injury Model System.

Model Systems Researchers Author a Paper Published in the New England Journal of Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:14:00 +0000

The MSKTC congratulates Dr. Sureyya Dikmen, Dr. Nancy Temkin and Jason Barber from the University of Washington Traumatic Brain Injury Model System on their paper: A Trial of Intracranial-Pressure Monitoring in Traumatic Brain Injury, which was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Get Involved!

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Are you the partner, family member, or caregiver of someone who sustained a SCI, TBI, or Burn Injury in the past five years? Would you like to share your experience in research to help others in the future?

The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) is recruiting individuals over 18 years old who are the primary caregivers of someone who sustained a SCI, TBI, or Burn Injury in the past five years. Participants will participate in an interview about caregivers’ health information needs. Participants will be compensated $20.

The study is funded by the National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and conducted by the American Institutes for Research and George Mason University. If you are interested, please call (202) 403-5127 or email msktc@air.org for more information.

Model Systems Researcher Interviewed about Athlete’s Concussions

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Nancy Chiaravalloti, Ph.D., director of the Northern New Jersey Model Traumatic Brain Injury System, was interviewed about the effects of concussions and second impact syndrome on football players. Featured on Washington DC's WTOP radio, Chiaravalloti spoke about Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's return to play. She also spoke on Michiana's WSBT radio, where she discussed the risk of further injury for Notre Dame players who had been treated for concussions.

Model System Researchers Present at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:01:00 +0000

A host of SCI and TBI model systems researchers participated in the 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) in Vancouver, Canada from October 9-13, 2012. Susan Harkema, PhD, of the Kentucky Regional Model Spinal Cord Injury System received the John Stanley Coulter Lecturer Award for her professional achievement and contributions to the advancement of the field of rehabilitation. Marcel Dijkers, PhD, FACRM, of the New York Traumatic Brain Injury Model System received the 2012 Gold Key Award, the highest honor given by the ACRM, for his extraordinary service to the cause of rehabilitation. Additionally, numerous model systems researchers presented papers and delivered lectures to advance the field of Rehabilitation Medicine. Information about these presentations can be found in the conference program. A list of model systems researchers that participated in the conference can be found below:

Participating Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems

Kentucky Regional Model Spinal Cord Injury System

Frazier Rehabilitation, Louisville, KY

· Susan Harkema, PhD

Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

· Anne Deutsch, Ph.D.

· Allen W. Heinemann, PhD, ABPP (RP), FACRM

New England Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center

Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA

· Alan Jette, PhD

Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury Model System

Kessler Foundation Research Center,West Orange, NJ

· Amanda Botticello, PhD

Regional SCI Center of the Delaware Valley

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital
Philadelphia, PA

· Ralph Marino,MD

Rocky Mountain Regional Spinal Injury System

Craig Hospital, Englewood, CO

· Susan Charlifue, PhD

· Gale Whiteneck, PhD, FACRM

Southern California Spinal Cord Injury Model System

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA

· Philip Requejo, PhD

Southeastern Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System

Shepherd Center, Inc., Atlanta, GA

· James Krause, PhD

· Keith Tansey, MD, PhD

UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model System

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

· Scott Richards, PhD, ABPP

University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

· Anthony Chiodo, MD

· Martin Forchheimer, MPP

· Claire Kalpakjan, PhD

· Denise Tate, PhD, FACRM

· David Tulsky, PhD

Participating Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems

Moss Traumatic Brain Injury Model System

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, PA

· Mary Ferraro, PhD, OTR/L

· Tessa Hart, PhD, FACRM

· John Whyte, MD, PhD, FACRM

New York Traumatic Brain Injury Model System

Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY

· Joshua Cantor, PhD

· Marcel Dijkers, PhD, FACRM

· Wayne Gordon, PhD

· Brian Greenwald, MD

Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Model System

Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ

· Anthony Lequerica, PhD

· Karen Nolan, PhD

Ohio Regional Traumatic Brain Injury Model System

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

· John Corrigan, PhD, FACRM

Rocky Mountain Regional Brain Injury System

Craig Hospital, Englewood, CO

· Cindy Harrison- Felix, PhD

Texas Traumatic Brain Injury Model System of TIRR

TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, TX

· Allison Clark, PhD

· Angelle Sander, PhD

· Mark Sherer, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Data and Statistical Center

Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado

· Jeffrey P. Cuthbert, MPH, MS

· Christopher Pretz, PhD

University of Washington Traumatic Brain Injury Model System

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

· Kathleen Bell, MD

· Sureyya Dikmen, PhD

· Jeanne Hoffman, PhD

Model Systems researcher interviewed about athlete’s concussions

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:44:00 +0000

Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of the Northern New Jersey Model Traumatic Brain Injury System was interviewed on the effects of concussions and second impact syndrome on football players. Featured on Washington, DC's WTOP, Chiaravalloti spoke about Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's return to play. She also spoke on Michiana's WSBT where she discussed the risk of further injury for Notre Dame players who were treated for concussions.

November 2012 is National Family Caregivers Month!

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:18:00 +0000

Are you the caregiver of a person with SCI, TBI, or Burn injury? Consider participating in the MSKTC Consumer Needs study. Learn more here.

Model Systems Researcher Interviewed by Local News Station

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:59:00 +0000

Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, the director of Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Model System participated in an interview by local news stations News 12 and WMBC. The interview focused on new research in traumatic brain injury as well as resources and consumer supports that can help TBI survivors.

Traumatic Brain Injuries Making Football Parent Hesitant

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:10:00 +0000

We all want our children to be active and involved, so for football parents the sport provides that and more however there is a growing concern about head injuries involved with the sport. People have mixed views on the age that a child should be able to be involved with this on contact sport. Parents are beginning to worry about the strong disadvantages that may be involved with allowing their children to play this sport which frequently results in head on head collisions or a child at the bottom of the pile. The MSKTC feels that is is very important to gain Understanding of TBI as well as understand how it could possibly affect a young person after that have become a victim of Traumatic Brain Injury. Do you know a child that has sustained a brain injury from football?

NIDRR selects 16 TBI Model Systems to Fund

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 20:33:00 +0000

The National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research recently reached a new fiscal year and selected 16 new Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems to fund. The sixteen newly funded centers are:

The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
Mayo Clinic
University of Washington
Kessler Foundation Inc.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Craig Hospital
Indiana University
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
The Ohio State University
University of Pittsburgh
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Baylor Research Institute
University of Miami
New York University School of Medicine

The MSKTC would like to congratulate all of the newly funded model systems, as well as everyone committed to advancing the traumatic brain injury field.

Webinar: Getting to Work After a Traumatic Brain Injury

noreply@blogger.com (MSKTC Administrator) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Getting to Work After a Traumatic Brain Injury, a webcast October 23rd at 2pm EST put on by the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Supported Employment for Nathan Zasler, MD, and Patricia Goodall will discuss research and strategies for returning to work following a traumatic brain injury. They will also be available to answer questions in a web board following the presentation. Registration is free of charge for individuals or agencies.