BREATHE T32 postdoc alum, Dr. Kelly Rock, has joined the Department of Physical Therapy as an Assistant Professor. A board-certified pediatric clinical specialist, Dr. Rock first came to the University of Florida to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in the department’s ImagingNMD research program. In her new faculty position, she will continue to play an integral role in advancing the department’s research in skeletal muscle disease and physiology. She will also contribute to the Doctor of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science PhD programs through teaching and service, particularly within the pediatric curriculum. Additionally, she is developing a new line of research exploring sleep-disordered breathing and quality of life in men with Becker muscular dystrophy, a project initiated during her BREATHE T32 postdoctoral fellowship, under the mentorship of Dr. Krista Vandenborne.
Dr. Rock earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Ithaca College and her PhD from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she investigated skeletal muscle properties and performance in survivors of childhood cancers and blood disorders. Additional clinical and research expertise includes muscular dystrophies and skeletal muscle pathology, as well as optimizing methods for assessing skeletal muscle health and disease across the lifespan. Congratulations, Dr. Rock!