Kessler Foundation Podcasts

Kessler Foundation

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Kessler Foundation - Changing the lives of people with disabilities through research in stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and by funding innovative programs that promote employment for people with disabilities. Podcasts are from various consumer and professional lectures presented by our researchers and guest lecturers.

1D AGO

Exploring Breakthroughs in Brain Injury Recovery

Karen Nolan, associate director in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering at Kessler Foundation, sat down with Heather Rose of Radio Free Roanoke for a powerful conversation on her work in traumatic brain injury research and her role as a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. LEARN more about Kessler Foundation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us Make a Gift, https://kesslerfoundation.org/?form=GiveKessler Used with permission: @radiofreeroanoke

31 min
FEB 26

Kessler Foundation Highlights Innovations in rehabilitation Research

Michele Pignatello, Chief Development Officer and Vice President, Development and Communications at Kessler Foundation, spoke to Radio LoRa Switzerland about our work to improve quality of life for people with disabilities through discovery, innovation, demonstration, application, and dissemination. LEARN more about Kessler Foundation, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us Make a Gift, https://kesslerfoundation.org/?form=GiveKessler Used with permission: Radio LoRa Switzerland www.facebook.com/LoRa97.5 www.instagram.com/radiolora97.5

16 min
FEB 26

Who Benefits Most from Brain Training and Exercise in Progressive MS

People with progressive multiple sclerosis often experience slowed cognitive processing speed. Researchers from Kessler Foundation analyzed data from the international CogEx trial, involving over 300 participants using brain training and exercise over 12 weeks. They found that improvement in cognitive speed varied, with better memory and higher pre-symptom IQ predicting greater gains. Factors like age, gender, or disability status did not affect outcomes. These findings highlight the need for personalized rehabilitation tailored to individuals’ cognitive profiles, moving beyond one-size-fits-all treatments. ===================================================================================== Kessler Foundation Investigators: Lead: Brian Sandroff, PhD https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/brian-m-sandroff-phd ===================================================================================== READ this journal article: “Correlates of Processing Speed Change With Combined Cognitive Rehabilitation and Exercise in Progressive MS: Secondary Analysis of the CogEx Trial,” was published in Neurorehabilitation & Neural Repair (2025), https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15459683251331586 PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies LISTEN to more Real-Life Science Summaries: https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science This Real-Life Science summary is part of our series that translates peer-reviewed research into practical, real-world understanding. ===================================================================================== LOOKING FOR MORE PODCASTS? Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates. This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Sr. Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in December 2025. ===================================================================================== Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at communications@kesslerfoundation.org.

4 min
FEB 26

Improving Workplace Communication for Autistic Adults

Nearly two-thirds of autistic adults face unemployment, often due to workplace misunderstandings around communication styles rather than ability. This episode explores research from Kessler Foundation that uses a novel voicemail elicitation task to assess polite language use among autistic youth in mock work scenarios. Discover how perceived impoliteness arises from pragmatic differences in language and what this means for job interviews, teamwork, and employee relationships. Learn practical tips for autistic individuals preparing for employment and strategies employers can implement to foster better understanding and inclusion. ===================================================================================== Kessler Foundation Investigators: Lead: Heba E. Elsayed, MD https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/heba-elsayed-md ===================================================================================== READ this journal article: “Voicemail Elicitation Task: Potential workplace communication assessment tool for autistic individuals” (Research in Autism, 2025) doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2025.1539887. EXPLORE our autism research: https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-for-autism-research LEARN more about KF-STRIDE, https://kfstride.org PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies LISTEN to more Real-Life Science Summaries: https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science ===================================================================================== LOOKING FOR MORE PODCASTS? Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates. This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in December 2025. ===================================================================================== Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at communications@kesslerfoundation.org.

6 min
FEB 26

Opinion: Why Cognitive Care in MS Needs a Team Approach

Opinion: Why Cognitive Care in MS Needs a Team Approach By John DeLuca, PhD, Senior Vice President, Research and Training, Kessler Foundation This episode shares expert opinion on how cognitive changes in multiple sclerosis should be understood and treated. Changes in thinking and memory are complex and can be affected by many factors, such as mood, heart and blood vessel health, and daily lifestyle habits. Based on the work and clinical perspective of Dr. John DeLuca and colleagues, the episode argues that an interdisciplinary care approach where professionals work together as one coordinated team may be more effective than traditional multidisciplinary care. This type of teamwork supports a fuller understanding of each person’s cognitive needs. ===================================================================================== Kessler Foundation Investigators: Lead: John DeLuca, PhD, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/john-deluca-phd ===================================================================================== READ this journal article: “Controversies in Multiple Sclerosis: An interdisciplinary approach is necessary in the treatment of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis,” published in Multiple Sclerosis Journal (2025). doi:10.1177/13524585251315357. PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our MS research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies LISTEN to more Real-Life Science Summaries: https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science This Real-Life Science summary is part of our series that translates peer-reviewed research into practical, real-world understanding. ====================================================================================  LOOKING FOR MORE PODCASTS? Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates. This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Senior Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in December 2025. ===================================================================================== Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at communications@kesslerfoundation.org.

5 min
FEB 26

Imagery and Storytelling Strengthen Memory in Older Adults

In this episode, we discuss research exploring how storytelling and mental imagery techniques can improve memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or normal aging. A 5-week study with 30 participants showed that specialized memory training led to significant improvements in lab-based tests and everyday recollections. These findings suggest non-pharmacological strategies could help older adults maintain mental sharpness and independence. We also explore whether this training could delay dementia and the benefits of earlier intervention. READ the full study, Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra (2025), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40093355 LEAD INVESTIGATOR: Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, PhD, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/nancy-chiaravalloti-phd LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RESEARCH: https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-neuropsychology-and-neuroscience-research READ all our Real-Life Science summaries, https://kesslerfoundation.org/newsletter/real-life-science LISTEN to all our Real-Life Science summaries, https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/real-life-science EXPLORE our cognition research, https://test-kessler-foundation-https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/cognition PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies Production Notes This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith , Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation (December 2025). Accessibility Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at communications@kesslerfoundation.org.

5 min
FEB 20

Aging with a Spinal Cord Injury

In an interview with Radio LoRa Switzerland, Dr. Trevor Dyson-Hudson spoke about aging with spinal-cord injury, later onset, and the chronic pain and other conditions and injuries that could develop as a result. Dr. Dyson-Hudson discussed why aging with spinal-cord injury has become a central clinical and research priority. He mentioned that the average age of people with spinal cord injury onset has increased from 29 years in the 1970s to 44 years in the current decade. We are seeing a higher percentage of older cases now." LEARN more about Dr. Dyson-Hudson, https://kesslerfoundation.org/aboutus/Trevor%20Dyson-Hudson EXPLORE our spinal cord injury research, https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-spinal-cord-injury-research PARTICIPATE: Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/join-our-research-studies Used by permission: Radio LoRa Switzerland https://www.facebook.com/LoRa97.5 https://www.instagram.com/radiolora97.5

26 min
FEB 13

Who Am I To Stop It_Letting Your Personal Story Shine Through Art

When Cheryl Green sustained a traumatic brain injury, her life was reduced to timelines, symptoms, and explanations of how she got hurt. None of it captured who she actually was. Looking for a way out of the medical shorthand that followed her everywhere, Cheryl found an unexpected tool: comedy films. As an independent access artist and TBI survivor, she discovered that creative storytelling could express the emotional truth of her experience in ways clinical language never could. She ended up inviting connection instead of pity. Through projects like Cooking with Brain Injury and the feature documentary Who Am I to Stop It?, Cheryl centers disabled voices on their own terms. The film follows TBI survivors Brandon, Danny, and Chris, not through diagnoses or expert commentary, but through poetry, performance, and visual art. With no doctors or family members weighing in, the documentary asks viewers: why should external judgment ever decide whether someone gets to pursue their dreams? This Brainstorm presentation was sponsored by the Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System and Kessler Foundation. Catch Up Anytime! Missed one of our past BrainStorm events? No worries — you can watch all previous presentations on our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL21CEB6CAC402EA50. Dive into inspiring stories, expert insights, and practical tips at your convenience. Want to Get Involved? Whether you're interested in participating in our research remotely or in person, we’d love to hear from you! go to https://KesslerFoundation.org/join to learn how you can contribute to advancing brain injury research.

1 hr

5

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4 Ratings

Kessler Foundation - Changing the lives of people with disabilities through research in stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and by funding innovative programs that promote employment for people with disabilities. Podcasts are from various consumer and professional lectures presented by our researchers and guest lecturers.

Creator

Kessler Foundation
Years Active

2015 - 2026
Episodes

369
Rating

Clean
Copyright

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Kessler Foundation Podcasts