HERSHEY, Pa. — A new Penn State Clinical and Translational Science resource provides 4,500 square feet of dedicated research space for exercise-based study visits. Exercise Research Center is located at Hershey Center for Applied Research on Bullfrog Valley Road, across from the College of Medicine campus.
Exercise Research Center is an extension of Clinical Research Center at Hershey. Clinical Research Centers are located at both Hershey and University Park campuses and provide dedicated space and infrastructure, including nursing staff, for human subject research visits. Hershey also includes an observation suite, and University Park has nutritional services capabilities.
“Exercise Research Center is very unique in what the lab can offer researchers as well as the location,” Kristin Slavoski, research project manager, said. “There is ample space available for consenting participants, collecting vital information and general space for short physical performance battery.”
Convenient parking is also available for both researchers and study participants.
Body composition can be collected through a DXA scanner, resting metabolic rate system, BODPOD, anthropometric measures, skinfold calipers and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Exercise testing equipment includes stationary and portable VO2 metabolic systems, a Biodex, resting ECG, treadmills, weight machines, bikes and a multi-station, resistance training unit.
Slavoski, who holds a master's degree in clinical exercise physiology, can also run exercise and body composition testing for research studies.
Slavoski joined Penn State in 2014 as the manager for a newly created research lab within the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She equipped and furnished that lab to conduct human subject research in body composition, exercise physiology, locomotor training and gait analysis. For seven years, Slavoski oversaw the research lab's daily operations, acted as research coordinator for studies, mentored medical and graduate students, and conducted hundreds of research tests in the lab.
“I became interested in research during my graduate program,” Slavoski said. “I was very intrigued seeing the forefront of innovation in the medical community through research and how these studies advanced both medical knowledge and treatment, particularly as they related to exercise physiology. I love being able to work with researchers that have a passion for exercise and physical activity and to provide a unique space that allows the implementation of human research on healthy individuals as well as those with diseases.”
The lab that Slavoski equipped and managed for seven years is now part of Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, giving greater access to the Penn State community to its valuable resources and equipment.
“The lab recently transitioned from Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to the Clinical and Translational Science Institute,” Slavoski explained. “I am excited about the opportunities this will bring to the lab.”
Usage of Exercise Research Center is fee-for-service. Researchers can initiate use of the space through the Clinical Research Center application process. Learn more here.
About Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute provides tools, services and training to make health research more efficient at Penn State. It advocates for translational science at the university and is a bridge between basic scientists and clinical researchers. The institute encourages collaboration to discover new treatments, medical procedures and ways to diagnose disease. Learn more at https://ctsi.psu.edu.