Under the mentorship of LSU School of Kinesiology Professor Jan Hondzinski, PhD, Ashwini Sansare, PhD, Board Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapist, was granted the Visiting Scholar Award by the Parkinson’s Foundation for her project, "Sensory contributions to balance control in individuals with Parkinson Disease.”

Sansare’s proposal was selected with enthusiasm by the Parkinson’s Foundation Scientific Review Committee following a highly competitive review process.

As falls are leading causes of injuries and reduce quality of life in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Sansare seeks to address balance problems in individuals with PD to determine the neurological basis of how PD affects different regions in the brain that are responsible for balance control. In doing so, results of this research could create groundbreaking discoveries for individuals with PD, improving their quality of life through better balance control to limit falls. 

“I know from my own mother’s experiences how important Dr. Sansare’s research is to the quality of life for people with PD,” Director of the LSU School of Kinesiology John Nauright, PhD, said. “We are proud to have her visiting us at LSU as we move to become the leading research institution for movement and wellbeing on PD in the USA.”

Hondzinski, Sansare’s Visiting Scholar mentor, assisted in the application process and committed to collaboration and mentoring support.

“This mentored award would equip Dr. Sansare with the necessary training to combine neurophysiological measures with balance assessment in individuals with PD and enable her to perform the same assessments independently on patients with PD,” Hondzinski said.

Sansare is collecting data in a cross-sectional single day study design this summer in people with PD at LSU. She plans to collect the same data on age-and sex-matched adults without PD on return to her primary institution, Texas A&M University, for direct comparisons.

About CHSE 
The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of Louisiana State University. The college is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Information Studies, the School of Kinesiology the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, and the School of Social Work. CHSE has two model demonstration schools, the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, enrolling birth to age four and the University Laboratory School enrolling Kindergarten through grade 12. The college also has four centers and institutes: the Early Childhood Education Institute, the Healthy Aging Research Center, the Leadership Development Institute, and Social Research & Evaluation Center. The college is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and is committed to improving quality of life across the lifespan. 
Visit the College of Human Sciences & Education website. 

About SOK 
The LSU School of Kinesiology (SOK) advances the understanding of physical activity, sport, and health to optimize the quality of life for diverse populations through excellence in teaching, learning, discovery, and engagement. SOK offers a BS, MS, Online MS, PhD, and two certificate options. Graduates go on to successful careers in the health and fitness industry, corporate wellness, sport agencies and businesses, athletic administration, and K-12 educational settings. SOK is part of the College of Human Sciences & Education. 
Visit the School of Kinesiology website.