Rehabilitation Science Seminar Series

Clinical assistant professor and program director
Occupational Therapy BS/MS program
Department of Rehabilitation Science
School of Public Health and Health Professions
University at Buffalo

Clinical instructor
Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry
School of Dental Medicine
University at Buffalo

Seminar:  Small Space, Big Impact: Compassionate Interprofessional Pediatric Dental Care and Its Importance for OT and PT Practice

Location: Farber Hall,  room G26, UB South Campus

zoom: https://buffalo.zoom.us/j/99887345296?pwd=Nu55RAvgAXbSpcRrPZ3mI3tkf6LF7u.1 

Continuing Professional Education available for OT/OTA/PT/PTas for in-person or zoom attendance. 

Bio:

Janice Tona, PhD, PTR, CLA, FAOTA, is an occupational therapist and an educational psychologist, with over four decades of experience as an OTR and three decades of experience in academia. Her research seeks to improve quality of life for children with disabilities and their caregivers, including individuals with Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), a post-infections neuropsychiatric disorder. Dedicated to improving primary care experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities, Dr. Tona also practices collaboratively with dental health practitioners to modify the dental environment, improve access, and optimize comfort for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the dental office,  and was instrumental in the development of the occupational therapy program at University Pediatric Dentistry in Buffalo.

Elisabeth Thompson OTR/L, is a dedicated Occupational Therapy Practitioner (OTP) with over 24 years of experience. She currently holds a faculty appointment as a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry at the University at Buffalo. In recognition of her excellence in teaching, she received the 2023 Educator Award from the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry. Elisabeth is a contributing and primary author of the National Inclusive Curriculum for Health Education in Dentistry, which focuses on integrating allied health professionals into dental education to enhance care for individuals with special healthcare needs. In 2022, she led the transition of Occupational Therapy services from a pilot project to a practice plan within dental settings—an initiative that has expanded community outreach both in New York State and across other regions in the United States.

Pastor George Nicholas, M.Div.
CEO - Buffalo Center for Health Equity

Seminar: A Plan for Health Equity

Location: Farber Hall, room G26, UB's South Campus

Bio: Pastor George Nicholas, M.Div., is a dedicated advocate for social justice, health equity, and community revitalization. A retired United Methodist pastor, he spent years serving inner-city congregations in Buffalo and Rochester, New York, fostering community-driven solutions to systemic challenges. He is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the Buffalo Center for Health Equity and a founding member and chair of the African American Health Equity Task Force, leading efforts to address racial health disparities.

Under his leadership, the Task Force launched the COVID-19 Response Project, ensuring that vital resources and information reached Buffalo’s underserved communities during the pandemic. He also played a key role in establishing the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute and the Erie County Department of Health Equity, strengthening research-driven initiatives to combat health inequities. As a member of the Racial Equity Roundtable, Pastor Nicholas helped create the Breaking Barriers Program, which empowers boys and young men of color by providing mentorship, support, and opportunities for personal growth.

His lifelong commitment to advancing health and racial equity has earned him national recognition, including the 2022 Bernard J. Tyson Health Equity Award from the Alliance of Community Health Plans. Through his work, Pastor Nicholas continues to drive systemic change and improve the well-being of communities in Buffalo and beyond.

zoom: https://buffalo.zoom.us/j/98632493511?pwd=pHbw7yH7rAjezaaogf3eXHpIBC9Z3E.1

Associate Professor
Physical Therapy Department
University of North Georgia

Seminar: Moving Forward: Novel Motor Control Biomarkers for Precision Neurorehabilitation

Location: Farber Hall, room G26, UB South Campus

zoom: https://buffalo.zoom.us/j/98970405533?pwd=4bfrkDYObkr6Dbao66Ohn5Ce4XdWOl.1

Seminar Summary: Despite advances in rehabilitation interventions, detecting clinically meaningful change after neurological injury remains difficult. Common outcome measures (often Likert-based) provide limited insight into how the nervous system organizes movements, which constrains the ability to distinguish true motor recovery from compensatory strategies. This seminar highlights the Uncontrolled Manifold (UCM) framework as a motor control approach for quantifying the structure of movement variability and assessing how redundant motor elements stabilize task performance. Key limitations that have historically restricted clinical translation are reviewed, followed by an overview of a bootstrap-enhanced, individualized UCM approach. The seminar closes by considering how UCM-based metrics may serve as clinically relevant biomarkers of movement quality for tracking recovery, learning, and disease progression across neurological populations.

Bio:  Dr. Solnik conducts multidisciplinary research spanning the broad spectrum of movement science, including biomechanics, motor control, and neuroscience. Dr. Solnik's research exemplifies his commitment to the interdisciplinary and collaborative study of human movement that justifies and provides clinical practice evidence. His research helps to direct more focused and efficient interventions, ultimately advancing the practice of physical therapy. He received his pre and postdoctoral training in numerous research institutions, including the University of Southern California, East Carolina University, and Pennsylvania State University.