About the MOVCENTR

The Center of Research in Human Movement Variability (MOVCENTR) at UNO was established in 2014 through a $10.1 million grant awarded by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE). In 2025, the MOVCENTR was awarded a $6 million grant for Phase III of the COBRE.

Mission

The MOVCENTR fosters productive research within our thematic scientific focus by producing highly promising young faculty striving for independent research. Each research project is supported by the Center to achieve this mission. The motor related disorders encompassed by these projects illustrate our overall vision for a research center striving to generate high impact, high-quality research in human movement variability and emphasizes the clinical translational nature of our mentoring approach.

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MOVCENTR Research

The research is focused on variability related to movement disorders. Human movement variability has been largely ignored as a source of important clinical information. However, altered human movement variability is found increasingly in a variety of motor related diseases, indicating reduced adaptive capacity in the neuromuscular system. The vision of our COBRE is to be a self-sustaining research program with exceptional facilities and resources that will enable the development of new interventions focused on the restoration of variability for a variety of movement disorders.

Phase III continues with three research cores: the Movement Analysis (MOVAN) Core, the Quantitative Analysis Research Core (QuARC), and the Machining and Prototyping (MAPRO) Core.

Phase III Aims

Aim 1. Solidify successfully established MOVCENTR research programs and infrastructure built in prior COBRE phases.

1. We will optimize and reorganize our cores to better serve the needs of our investigators by developing and verifying new analytical methods of human movement and improving efficiency and project management.
2. With the current expansion of our facilities, we will optimize our COBRE operations to fully establish a collaborative, multidisciplinary atmosphere to address intricate issues related to human movement variability in cutting-edge laboratories.

Aim 2. Implement strategies to advance MOVCENTR research excellence in human movement variability beyond COBRE funding.

1. We will take advantage of the significant new faculty growth and research initiatives across the university to expedite recruitment, career development, and resource allocation for the COBRE's sustained growth and independent operation after NIH funding ends.
2. We will facilitate the development of grants targeting multidisciplinary centers and programs, along with philanthropic efforts, related to the goals of our COBRE.
3. We will support a strong pilot project program to encourage innovations and mechanism-based advancements.

Division of Biomechanics and Research Development

All COBRE research is housed and performed under the MOVCENTR. All other state and federal research is performed in the Department of Biomechanics. Both units are under the umbrella of the Division of Biomechanics and Research Development.