Departments of Kinesiology and Epidemiology to Collaborate on Research as Part of New Center on Physical Activity and Health

For Jim Pivarnik, medicine and kinesiology have always been closely linked. Indeed, the professor in the Department of Kinesiology also has an appointment in the Department of Epidemiology in the College of Human Medicine.

The dual appointments had allowed Pivarnik to engage in research that draws on his expertise as an exercise physiologist and background and knowledge of epidemiology. But in recent years he had begun to believe that there might be a better, more focused way to bridge the two disciplines.

In the fall, Pivarnik launched the Center for Physical Activity and Health (CPAH), which marks the first formal collaborative venture between the departments of kinesiology and epidemiology.

“I just felt this was something that was needed,” said Pivarnik, who serves as the center’s director. “Given my relationship with the Department of Epidemiology and the role of physical activity in nearly every chronic condition, it just makes sense to more centralize and focus the research. The center gives us some legitimacy in the field in that it gets us away from some lone researcher at Michigan State saying, ‘Yes, physical activity is important and we need much more focus on it. It needs to be a central part of any program we put together and research project we develop.’

“This center will bring a lot of credibility to that issue because it is going to bring together researchers from epidemiology and medicine and kinesiology and the College of Education, as well as other researchers from other disciplines and colleges.”

The mission of the center is to study the effect of physical activity on human health and well being throughout the lifespan. Pivarnik envisions the center as one part incubator of research projects and another part clearinghouse of information.

Part of his job as director, Pivarnik said, will be to broker opportunities for research funding and help researchers partner across the disciplines. Thus, it could be that a researcher in elementary education and a professor in pediatrics may work together on a project involving youth and physical activity or development.

Already, the center has begun to establish itself both at MSU and in Michigan. The center will do an evaluation of a program run through Ingham Regional Medical Center that teaches children about health and exercise. Efforts are also underway to more firmly establish an already working relationship with Mott Children’s Health Center in Flint, Michigan.

In addition, the first set of grant applications through CPAH have been submitted, and Pivarnik hopes that with the center in place many new research projects will be awarded to MSU.

“In order to get funding for big projects, the lone wolf thing doesn’t work,” Pivarnik said. “You need people collaborating and centers like this one to get those types of grants.

“The reason is that funders want to know if there is an infrastructure to carryout the research. Now, we can show that we have a center and that it has access to the College of Education, the medical school, and we have those relationships.”