UWEC Parkinson’s glove research now backed by Mayo funding

Dr. Nicholas Beltz, associate professor of kinesiology, and Dr. Marc Mc Ellistrem, professor of materials science and biomedical engineering, have spent nearly a year mentoring students seeking to finalize a prototype for portable vibrating gloves with the potential to reduce tremors in Parkinson’s disease patients.

The project, moving into its second academic year, just got a major boost from the Mayo/UW-Eau Claire Research and Innovation Council — a boost in the form of a grant for $82,682.

“The funding is crucial for the purchase of materials and supplies to build the vibrotactile gloves, as well as access to the clinical questionnaire to evaluate motor symptoms in individuals with Parkinson’s,” Beltz says.

Beltz says funds also will support wages for multiple Blugold students working on the project, along with faculty stipends.

“This grant will keep the wheels turning on this project,” Beltz says.

Two new undergraduate students on the project are sophomore Shivani Saravanan of Maple Grove, Minnesota, and senior Maddie Mousel of Roberts, both biomedical engineering majors.

Additionally, graduate student Calla Dexheimer is conducting the study as her thesis project for a master’s in exercise physiology.

“As a graduate of UWEC’s biomedical engineering bachelor's program, this research is an amazing opportunity to use my BME skills and grow as a master's student in the exercise physiology program,” Dexheimer says.

“It will be interesting to see the full effects of how these gloves can influence Parkinson’s symptoms like tremors, sleep disturbances and fatigue. These gloves could provide a noninvasive way to treat these symptoms and improve overall quality of life.”