Prakash Jayabalan, MD, PhD

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About Me

@pjayabalanMDPhD

As Physician-Scientist Director of the Nancy W. Knowles Strength + Endurance Lab, Dr. Jayabalan directs clinical care and research for inpatients, outpatients and research participants working on building stamina and resilience following illness or injury. In this capacity, he collaborates with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Clinical and Scientific Chairs to ensure scientific discoveries are translated into clinical practice quickly, for the best outcomes.

In addition to his leadership role within the Strength + Endurance Lab, he also serves as an Attending Physician and Director of Clinical Musculoskeletal Research at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, as well as Associate Professor in Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R).

Dr. Jayabalan’s research is both clinically relevant and scientifically rigorous. Since joining Shirley Ryan AbilityLab as a Sports Medicine Fellow in 2015, he has developed a sophisticated musculoskeletal research program that focuses primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis, the most common chronic joint condition. His novel approach includes joint fluid analysis for “biomarkers” of the condition. One of his most widely cited papers demonstrates that a specific collagen breakdown product, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), is modified when a patient’s walking pattern is changed during rehabilitation.

In addition to numerous publications, Dr. Jayabalan has multiple ongoing research projects focused on optimizing the performance, function and recovery of patients with musculoskeletal disease. He has received foundation grants from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Foundation for PM&R, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.

In 2016, he received an Institutional Clinical Scientist Award (K12) from the Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program, which is sponsored by the NIH’s National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. Subsequently, in 2019, he received an extremely competitive and prestigious Mentored Career Development Award (KL2) from the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. In 2022, the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) honored Dr. Jayabalan with an Early Career Academician Award, recognizing his excellence in research, teaching and mentorship. In 2023, he received the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Early PM&R Career Award, which recognizes Academy members who have made an impact on the future of PM&R through distinction in innovation, advocacy, leadership, service or clinical practice within 10 or fewer years in practice.

Dr. Jayabalan earned his Doctor of Medicine, with distinction, from King’s College London. He then earned a PhD in Pathobiology from the University of Missouri and completed his residency in PM&R at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, culminating in his appointment as Chief Resident.

Location

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

355 East Erie

Chicago, IL 60611

Education & Training

Education

2000 - 2001

King's College London School of Medicine, London, UK, Bachelor of Science (BSc) Physiology

1998 - 2004

King's College London School of Medicine, London, UK, Doctor of Medicine (MD)

2007 - 2011

University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Pathobiology

Residency

2011 - 2012

SSM St Mary's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, Internal Medicine Internship

2012 - 2015

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Fellowship

2015 - 2016

Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center/Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, Sports Medicine

Honors & Awards

Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) Community Engagement Award
2019
Foundation Award, AMSSM
2019
Justus Lehmann Award, Foundation for PM&R
2019
Training in Grantsmanship for Rehabilitation Research (TIGRR) accepted participant
2018

Resident Mentor of the Year, Department of PM&R, Northwestern University
2018 - 2020
Best Paper Award, Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
The outcome of concussions in students enrolled at a collegiate institution, 2017
Young Investigator's Award, American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM)
Comparing the acute effects of walking an 18-Hole golf course versus using a motorized golf cart in subjects with knee osteoarthritis, 2017
National Institute of Health(NIH)/K12 Award
NIH funded research grant to Investigate the effects of walking exercise on knee osteoarthritis, 2016 - 2019
Richard F. Materson New Investigator Award, Foundation for PM&R
Comparing the acute effects of walking an 18-Hole golf course versus using a motorized golf cart in subjects with knee osteoarthritis, 2016
USBJI Grant, American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM)
Grant for training in research in knee osteoarthritis, 2016
Mclean National Outstanding Resident Award, Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
Award given to one resident nationally who demonstrates outstanding performance in academic leadership, teaching, education, and research, 2015
Best Paper Award, Association of Academic Physiatrists
The effect of walking exercise regimens on gait parameters and cartilage turnover in patients with knee osteoarthritis, 2015
Best Musculoskeletal Research Poster Presentation, AAPM&R Annual Meeting
Influence of continuous versus interval walking exercise on joint loading and serum biomarker profile in patients with knee osteoarthritis
, 2015
Outstanding Resident Mentor Award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2015
Excellence in Residency Award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2015
Justus Lehmann Award, Foundation for PM&R
Award for research in biophysics, 2014
Best Neurorehabilitation Research Podium Presentation, AAPM&R
Video recording the gait of stroke patients to improve patient satisfaction and outcome, 2014
Best Paper Award, Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
The Development of a Biomarker Panel for Knee Osteoarthritis, 2013
Rising Star Award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2013
Beckwith Institute Award for Quality Improvement
System-wide award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 2012
40 under 40 Chicago Area Scientist, Halo Awards
2019
KL2 Mentored Career Development Award, Northwestern University
2019
Scott F. Nadler Musculoskeletal Research Award, Foundation for PM&R
2019
Best Paper Award, Association of Academic Physiatrists
2020
Resident Mentor of the Year Award, Northwestern University
2019
Resident Mentor of the Year Award, Northwestern University
2020
Resident Mentor of the Year Award, Northwestern University
2021
Resident Mentor of the Year Award, Northwestern University
2022
Resident Mentor of the Year Award, Northwestern University
2023
Early Career Academician Award, Association of Academic physiatrists (AAP)
2022
Early PM&R Career Award, AAPM&R
2023

Certificates + Licenses

Board Certified, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Board Certified, Sports Medicine
Licensed Physician and Surgeon, Illinois

Research Interests

Development of physical activity regimens for knee osteoarthritis
Biomarkers of joint disease
Biology of knee osteoarthritis
Factors effecting the outcome of concussions

Grants

The Acute Impact Of Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmill Walking On
2019 - 2021
Building Capacity for a Community Based Research Partnership to Optimize Physical Activity in Lung Cancer Survivors.
2017 - 2019
‘Effect of compound PF-01322574 on cartilage degeneration in the
2007 - 2008
"A Comparison of the Acute Effects of Walking an 18-hole Golf Course vs Using a Motorized Gold Cart in Subjects with Knee Osteoarthritis"
Foundation for PM&R
, 2016 - 2018

Affiliations

Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC), Northwestern University
2016
Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI)
2015
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
2013
American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM)
2013

American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
2012
Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)
2012

Patents

Biomarkers of Osteoarthritis PCT/US2011/027242

Local and National Committees

Steering Committee, Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC)
Health Care Policy & Legislative Committee, AAPM&R
Technology Committee, AAPM&R

Our research is mainly 4 main categories: knee osteoarthritis, adaptive sports, physical activity related studies and outcomes of musculoskeletal treatments.

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