NYITCOM and Health Professions Students Present Research

Seven students representing the College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) and the School of Health Professions traveled to NYU Langone Health’s academic medical center in New York, N.Y., on November 11 to present their scholarly research at the Greater New York Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2023 Annual Fall Meeting. This year’s conference theme was A.I. in Exercise Science: Embracing the Future, Acknowledging the Risks.

Among the three posters New York Tech students presented at the conference, two presentations secured first-place wins.

NYITCOM student Camille Palarpalar presented her poster, “Physical Activity Assessment of People with Type II Diabetes in the Dominican Republic,” in the President’s Cup Research Competition. Mentored by Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Amerigo Rossi, Ed.D., and Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Global Health Lillian Niwagaba, Ph.D., Palarpalar was awarded first place for her research and received a $1,200 stipend to travel to Boston, Mass., in May in 2024 where she will represent the Greater New York Chapter at the national-level competition.

From left: Physical therapy students Nicole Manassero, Syed Shah presented their poster, “Comparing Body Composition to Strength, Balance, and Function in Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study,” at the Greater New York Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2023 Fall Meeting.

In the Graduate Poster Competition, School of Health Professions physical therapy students Syed Shah, Sophia Karamatzanis, Jessica Wynne, Nicole Manassero, and Maya Mohamed came in first place for their poster, “Comparing Body Composition to Strength, Balance, and Function in Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study.”

These students presented their research in the wake of the passing of their mentor, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy William Werner, Ed.D. They were mentored thereafter by NYITCOM Professor and Director of Clinical Research Joanne Donoghue, Ph.D., and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Rosemary Gallagher, Ph.D., D.P.T.

From left: Sophia Karamatzanis and Jessica Wynne along with classmates Nicole Manassero, Maya Mohamed, and Syed Shah came in first place for their poster, “Comparing Body Composition to Strength, Balance, and Function in Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study.”

NYITCOM student Elizabeth Scott, who was mentored by Werner, represented the Center for Esports Medicine with her poster, “The Effect of Gaming Chairs and Aeron Chairs on Muscle Stiffness, Player Perception, and Performance.” Following Werner’s passing, Donoghue and Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Clinical Operations Hallie Zwibel, D.O., further mentored Scott.

With seven students presenting their research, this year’s Greater New York Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2023 Annual Fall Meeting marked New York Tech’s largest representation at the annual event to date. Rossi and Instructor of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Alexander Rothstein, M.S., will assume the roles of presidents of the Greater New York Chapter next year.