People

Dr. Tate is a Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and the coordinator for the Brazil Platform for Global Reach, at the University of Michigan Medical School.   Currently, the Tate SCI Lab includes several research projects in spinal cord injury and spinal cord disease (SCI/D).   Her recent and past research funding includes the U.S. Department of Defense Spinal Cord Research Program (SCIRP), the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Child Health, and Human Development/National Center for Medical Research (NIH/NICHD/NCMRR), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and others.

Her research focuses on psychological adaptation, decision making and wellness after injury and quality of life outcomes. She served as the Director and Principal Investigator (PI) of the University of Michigan SCI Model System (UM-SCIMS) from 1995 until 2016. Most recently, she conducted a study examining the effects of neurogenic bladder and bowel complications on quality of life after SCI.

Nationally, she served as a member of the Executive Board of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and the American Congress of Rehabilitation Research (ACRM) and as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research at NCMRR/ NIH.  Programmatic board assignments included those of the Craig H Neilsen Foundation Psychosocial Research Program and the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Research Program for SCIRP.  As a grant reviewer, she served as Chair and member of study sections for the NIH, AHRQ and of other federal organizations funding SCI research. In 1998, she was appointed as a member of the Evaluation of Veterans Disability Benefits taskforce of the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Most of her international research and collaborations with other centers focuses on research and clinical care of persons with SCI/D around the world. Recently, she served as the co- chair of the quality-of-life taskforce of the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and currently is a member of this society and of the European Spinal Psychologists Association (ESPA). With a team of collaborators and staff, Dr. Tate has worked with many investigators at the University of Michigan as well as national and international colleagues. Current research staff are listed below.

Ms. Sullivan is a researcher with substantial experience in coordinating investigator-initiated studies as well as multi-site, multi-national industry-sponsored clinical trials in the Neurology Department at Michigan Medicine. She received her Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) credential in 2013, and her Certified Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Motor Examiner credential from the European Huntington's Disease Network, in 2015. She also received a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) credential in 2001. Elizabeth has assisted Dr. Tate with the gentamicin clinical trial by developing and revising required study protocol changes, documenting study procedures in the Manual of Procedures, conducting follow up calls with participants, assisting with IRB submissions and working with the study regulatory monitor.

Ms. Rozmys is a researcher with expertise in clinical trials, serving as a study coordinator, recruiter and data manager in clinical trials conducted at the University of Michigan. She worked with Dr. Tate assisting with the Gentamicin study to identify potential participants, recruiting, consenting, and conducting follow up calls to monitor trial compliance and possible adverse effects, assisting with IRB communications and submissions, entering data and managing research billings within the OnCore system.  

Mr. Forchheimer is a researcher in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Michigan. He is the Principal Investigator for a study developing a measure of the quality of caregiving experienced by people with SCI that is funded by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. He is also a Co-Investigator and Study Coordinator for several other studies concerning people with SCI or SCD. His research focuses on adjustment, quality of life, measurement issues, community integration, and physical and mental health after disability.

Constance Pines joined the project staff at the University of Michigan Spinal Cord Injury Model System in March 2011. Her area of expertise for the past 37 years has been as Nurse Case Manager with Cardiothoracic Surgery/ Cardiology specialty services at U-M and The Ann Arbor VA Medical Center. Ms. Pines currently has oversight responsibilities for three research grants. Ms. Pines is the widow of a former U-M Spinal Cord Model System patient and therefore has hands-on experience and critical knowledge of the challenges facing those people with spinal cord injuries.