ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. - April 11, 2016 - PRLog -- Cure SMA has awarded a $50,000 clinical care research grant to Tariq Rahman, PhD, at the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, for his project, "Outcome Measures Using WREX - An Upper Extremity Exoskeleton for Children with SMA."
An exoskeleton is a robotic system that can help support movement and/or improve range of motion for individuals who have conditions that cause muscle weakness, including SMA. This technology could assist individuals with SMA in performing activities of daily living, or help address common complications, such as contractures (a shortening of a muscle or joint).
This project will evaluate one particular exoskeleton, the WREX, to see if it provides benefit for those with SMA.
This grant to Dr. Rahman is part of $100,000 in clinical care funding that Cure SMA is announcing over the next few weeks.
Cure SMA funds clinical care research to understand the issues that affect daily life for people with SMA, from breathing to nutrition, and to improve their quality of life today.
Meet Tariq Rahman
Who are you?
My name is Tariq Rahman. I have been involved in research and development in the areas of robotics, rehabilitation engineering, orthotics for over 25 years. I work at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington Delaware. My position is Principal Research Scientist. I primarily work on the development of devices for children with neuromuscular conditions. I also hold faculty appointments in mechanical engineering at the University of Delaware and Drexel University.
How did you first become involved with SMA research?
I started working with kids with neuromuscular conditions such as SMA about 20 years ago when we were developing robotic aids for these kids. One of the projects that came out of that research was the WREX orthosis for kids with arm weakness. I would like to see robotic/orthotic technology benefiting many more children with SMA who are some of brightest children I have seen. This will improve their quality of life and enhance their independence.
What is your current role in SMA research?
We are developing and testing upper extremity robotic and orthotic technology to assist children with SMA to enhance their movement and provide them with more function. One of our goals is to demonstrate with outcomes-based data that devices such as these are making a difference for these kids in terms of their quality of life.
What do you hope to learn from this research project?
Individuals with SMA often have difficulty moving their arm in space, which can affect performance of activities of daily living. Prevention of contractures from loss of active movement is also a high therapeutic priority. Over the years, several upper extremity orthotic systems designed to support reach have been introduced to the therapy community, but most have had no commercial success due to impracticality, cost, and appearance.
How will this project work?
We will perform a small study to examine the benefits of an upper extremity exoskeleton for people with SMA. We will use standard range of motion testing as well as three tools to measure the effects of the WREX on upper extremity performance over the course of one year.
What is the significance of your study?
More data is needed to show the benefits that the WREX medical device can have for individuals with SMA. The results from this study will be used as the basis for larger, multi-site trial that could ultimately result in this technology being available to more of the SMA community.
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About Cure SMA
Cure SMA is dedicated to the treatment and cure of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) - a disease that takes away a person's ability to walk, eat, or breathe. It is the number one genetic cause of death for infants.
Since 1984, we've directed and invested in comprehensive research that has shaped the scientific community's understanding of SMA. We are currently on the verge of breakthroughs in treatment that will strengthen our children's bodies, extend life, and lead to a cure.
We have deep expertise in every aspect of SMA - from the day-to-day realities to the nuances of care options - and until we have a cure, we'll do everything we can to support children and families affected by the disease.
Learn more about how you can help us reach a treatment and cure at www.cureSMA.org.
Contact
Megan Lenz
***@curesma.org
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Cure SMA Awards $50,000 Grant to Tariq Rahman, PhD, Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children
April 11, 2016 at 10:04 AM EDT
