Diane Louise Damiano is an American

biomedical scientist A biomedical scientist is a scientist trained in biology, particularly in the context of medical laboratory sciences or laboratory medicine. These scientists work to gain knowledge on the main principles of how the human body works and to find new w ...

and

physical therapist Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patien ...

specializing in

physical medicine and rehabilitation Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also known as physiatry, is a branch of medicine that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to people with physical impairments or disabilities. This can include conditions su ...

approaches in children with

cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sens ...

. She is chief of the functional and applied

biomechanics Biomechanics is the study of the structure, function and motion of the mechanical aspects of biological systems, at any level from whole organisms to organs, cells and cell organelles, using the methods of mechanics. Biomechanics is a branch of ...

section at the

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center The NIH Clinical Center is a hospital solely dedicated to clinical research at the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The Clinical Center, known as Building 10, consists of the original part of the hospital, the Warren Gr ...

. Damiano has served as president of the Clinical Gait and Movement Analysis Society and the

American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine ''Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology'' is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering pediatric neurology and developmental medicine. The journal is published by Mac Keith Press and distributed on their behalf by Wiley-Blackwell. I ...

Education

Damiano completed a B.A. in biological sciences at the Catholic University of America in 1974. In 1979, she earned a M.S. in physical therapy from Duke University. Damiano completed a Ph.D. in

research methods Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...

and

in the

Curry School of Education The School of Education and Human Development is a public school of education in the United States, on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The School of Education and Human Development offers professional programs designed t ...

at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

. Her 1993 dissertation was titled, ''Effects of Quadriceps Strengthening on Functional Gait in Children With Spastic Diplegia''. Her doctoral advisor was Luke E. Kelly and Kit Vaughan served as her mentor.

Career and research

Damiano is a

and physical therapist. She worked in the department of

orthopaedics Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

at the University of Virginia where she was promoted to associate professor on the

tenure track Tenure is a category of academic appointment existing in some countries. A tenured post is an indefinite academic appointment that can be terminated only for cause or under extraordinary circumstances, such as financial exigency or program disco ...

, and the department of

neurology Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal ...

Washington University School of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) is the medical school of Washington University in St. Louis in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1891, the School of Medicine has 1,260 students, 604 of which are pursuing a medical degree with ...

. Damiano joined the

NIH Intramural Research Program The NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) is the internal research program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), known for its synergistic approach to biomedical science. With 1,200 Principal Investigators and over 4,000 Postdoctoral Fellow ...

and works as the chief of the functional and applied biomechanics section in the rehabilitation medicine department of the

. Damiano's area of expertise is in the investigation of both existing and novel rehabilitation approaches in children with cerebral palsy. Several years ago, she was one of the first researchers to recognize that spastic muscles were weak and needed strengthening. Her work in this area has improved the treatment of these patients. She researches the role of

physical activity Physical activity is defined as any voluntary bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, 2009. World Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland. Accessed 13/ ...

in enhancing motor coordination and promoting muscle and neural recovery in those with brain injuries. Her lab uses non-invasive brain technologies such as electroencephalography (EEG) and

near-infrared spectroscopy Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a spectroscopic method that uses the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum (from 780 nm to 2500 nm). Typical applications include medical and physiological diagnostics and research inc ...

to study motor coordination in children and adults with

and

traumatic brain injury A traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as an intracranial injury, is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. TBI can be classified based on severity (ranging from mild traumatic brain injury TBI/concussionto severe traumatic br ...

. Her research involving children with cerebral palsy aims to enhance their movement capabilities in the short term and exploit the inherent

neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It is when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it p ...

and muscular plasticity for more permanent and sustainable functional gains. In 2017, Damiano and a team of researchers created a robotic exoskeleton designed to treat crouch (or flexed-knee) gait in children with cerebral palsy by providing powered knee extension assistance at key points during the walking cycle. Damiano has published more than 90 papers in peer-reviewed journals. She currently sits on the editorial board of '' Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair'', ''

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology ''Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology'' is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering pediatric neurology and developmental medicine. The journal is published by Mac Keith Press and distributed on their behalf by Wiley-Blackwell. I ...

'', and the ''Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation''. Damiano is a past president of the Clinical Gait and Movement Analysis Society (GCMAS) and the current president — the first physical therapist to serve in the role in the organization's 61-year history — of the

. She is a member of the scientific advisory board of the

United Cerebral Palsy United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is an international nonprofit charitable organization consisting of a network of affiliates. UCP is a leading service provider and advocate for adults and children with disabilities. As one of the largest health nonpro ...

Research and Education Foundation.

Awards

In 1994, Damiano became a fellow of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine.

Selected works

* * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Damiano, Diane Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) 20th-century American women scientists 21st-century American women scientists American medical researchers Women medical researchers National Institutes of Health people American physiotherapists Catholic University of America alumni Duke University alumni Curry School of Education alumni University of Virginia School of Medicine faculty Washington University School of Medicine faculty