Neil Alexander M.D., M.S.

Title and department:

Professor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine; Research Professor, Institute of Gerontology, The University of Michigan; Director, Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Ann Arbor Health Care System; Director Mobility Research Center, U-M Geriatrics Center

Mailing address:

GRECC, 11G
2215 Fuller Rd.,
Ann Arbor MI 48105-2399

Lab address:

Mobility Research Center
2025 Traverwood Drive, Suite E
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105-2197

Phone: 734-761-7686; Fax: 734-761-7489

E-mail: nalexand@umich.edu

Research Interests

Dr. Alexander, Director of the Mobility Research Center at the University of Michigan Geriatrics Center, has extensive experience in studying mobility problems in older adults. Alexander studies mobility in older adults, including the assessment of, and interventions to improve the ability to: rise from a chair, from a bed and from the floor; maintain upright stance and avoid falls; walk safely; and improve postural control, strength, and aerobic capacity.

Recent Publications

Hofmeyer MR, Alexander NB, Nyquist LV , Medell JL, Koreishi A. Floor rise strategy training in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002;50:1702-1706.

Alexander NB, Dengel DR, Olson, R, Krajewski K. Oxygen uptake (VO2) kinetics and functional mobility performance in impaired older adults. J. Gerontol. 2003;58A:734-739.

Kozak K, Ashton-Miller JA, Alexander NB. The effect of age and movement speed on maximum forward reach from an elevated surface: a study of healthy women. Clin Biomech. 2003:18:190-196.

Rubinstein TC, Alexander NB, Hausdorff JM. Evaluating fall risk in older adults: steps and missteps. Clinical Geriatrics. 2003; 11:52 -60.

Ashton-Miller JA, Alexander NB. Biomechanics of mobility in older adults. In: Hazzard WR et al. (eds), Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, 5th edition, New York , McGraw-Hill. 2003.

Netz Y, Ayalon M, Dunsky A, Alexander N: 'The multiple-sit-to-stand' field test for older adults: What does it measure? Gerontology 2004;50:121-126.

Brief Biography

Dr. Alexander completed his fellowship in Geriatrics (and certificate of added qualifications) at U-M and received formal research methods training from the U-M School of Public Health (MS in Clinical Research Design and Biostatistics). He was supported by a NIA Special Emphasis Research Career Award in Rehabilitation and Aging (KO8 SERCA). He has subsequently been a Core leader and project PI on collaborative projects (and a long-running NIA Program Project) with the Biomechanics Research Laboratory at UM, focusing on gait, postural control, and aspects of cognition. He has been funded by a series of pilot and randomized intervention development studies through the U-M Pepper Center since the Center's inception, related to improving the ability to rise from a chair and to improving dynamic balance and rapid stepping ability in at-risk older adults. He also has a long record of continuous VA Merit Review awards, with a funded project involving exercise physiology and aerobic training in patients with congestive heart failure. He recently received a Fulbright Award to develop a community-based fall risk reduction program, piloted during his sabbatical year (2001-2002) in Jerusalem , Israel . In addition to his clinical duties at Turner Geriatric Clinic and the Ann Arbor VA Health Care System GRECC, he is actively involved in mentorship and training programs, serving as: 1) the Co-Director of the new Research Career Development Core of the U-M Pepper Center; 2) a member on the Training Grant Committee at the Institute of Gerontology; 3) an awardee of an NIA K24 Mid-Career Investigator Award from NIA; and 4) nationally, as convener of the Sub-committee on Junior Faculty Development on the American Geriatrics Research Committee and a member of the NIA Clinical Aging Review Committee.

Links to laboratory or personal web pages:

Mobility Research Center