Physical Therapy Faculty Collaborate to Establish Low Back Pain Research Center with $16.8 Million Grant

Five Physical Therapy faculty will collaborate with researchers from UPMC and Pitt’s Schools of Medicine, Engineering, and Education to establish a Low Back Pain Research Center thanks to a five-year, $16.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Anthony Delitto, dean and professor, Sara Piva, associate professor, Charity Patterson, professor, Mike Schneider, associate professor, and Joel Stevans, assistant professor, were recently awarded the funds to establish the Low Back Pain: Biological, Biomechanical, Behavioral Phenotypes Mechanistic Research Center (LB3P MRC). It's all part of the NIH "Helping to End Addiction Long-term," or NIH HEAL, Initiative. "Unfortunately, some people with chronic low-back pain end up taking opioids for lack of a better alternative, despite the lack of research supporting their use for chronic pain," says Delitto. The center will largely focus on thoroughly understanding the characteristics of patients with chronic low back pain to then help develop better, more personalized treatments. Piva explains more: