UCLID | M. Kathleen Kelly




M. Kathleen Kelly, PhD, PT Assistant Professor & Vice-Chair Entry-level Program, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Physical Therapist, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh UCLID Core Faculty, Physical Therapy UCLID Training Coordinator Professional Profile BS, Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 1983 MS, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA, 1987 PhD, Rehabilitation Sciences (emphasis in Neurobiology), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 2002 Interests I continue to enjoy the clinical practice of physical therapy. In addition to my full-time faculty position in the Department of Physical Therapy, I am also on staff in the Physical Therapy Department at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. My clinical interests relate to infants and children with early brain injury. A related area of interest and expertise is developmental intervention with high-risk infants, a subset of whom end up with neurologic sequelae that may result in varying degrees of disability. I chose to pursue a PhD with an emphasis in basic neuroscience because I am ultimately interested in exploring the mechanisms guiding neuromotor development and plasticity in infants and children. My goal is to bridge the gap between basic and clinical sciences in this area. I was proud to receive the Patty Leahy Scholarship Award from the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association in 1998. Publications Kelly, MK: Physical Therapy Interventions: Practice Pattern G: Impaired Ventilation, Respiration/Gas Exchange and Aerobic Capacity/Endurance Associated with Respiratory Failure in the Neonate. In: DeTurk WE & Cahalin LP (eds). Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy McGraw Hill, In press M. K. Kelly, G. E. Carvell, and D.J. Simons. “Axonal Conduction Properties of Antidromically Identified Neurons in Rat Barrel Cortex” Somatosensory and Motor Research, Vol.18 (3); 2001. Kelly MK. Children with Ventilator Dependence. In Campbell SK (Ed.), Physical Therapy for Children (2nd Ed.). Philadelphia: WB Saunders Co., 2000, pp. 711-733. M. K. Kelly, G. E. Carvell, J. M. Kodger, and D.J. Simons. “Sensory Loss by Selected Whisker Removal Produces Immediate Disinhibition in the Somatosensory Cortex of Behaving Rats” Journal of Neuroscience, Vol. 19 (20); 1999. Kelly MK, Palisano RJ, and Wolfson MR. The Effects of a Developmental Physical Therapy Program on Oxygen Saturation and Heart Rate in Preterm Infants. Physical Therapy, 69(6); 1989. Kelly, MK. The Gross Motor Function Measure: A Means to Evaluate the Effects of Physical Therapy Neurology Report, (1) 1992. Courses & Training Growth & Development I – Summer Session Growth & Development II – Fall Term Pediatric Physical Therapy elective – Spring Term Children with Disabilities: An Interdisciplinary Clinical Practicum and Course – Fall & Spring Terms Neuromuscular PT Readings/Seminar – Summer Session Collaborations, Consultations, and Service Therapy in Natural Environments (TINE) Project – Research mentor I am currently the Education Committee Chair for the SWD Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association.