{"id":13463,"date":"2025-10-29T17:31:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clario.com\/?post_type=articles&p=13463"},"modified":"2025-10-29T17:31:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:31:13","slug":"researcher-spotlight-deborah-jehu-ph-d","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/clario.com\/resources\/articles\/researcher-spotlight-deborah-jehu-ph-d\/","title":{"rendered":"Researcher spotlight: Deborah Jehu, Ph.D."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Precision Motion<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Deborah Jehu, Ph.D.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Assistant Professor and Director of the Gait Lab, Department of Community & Behavioral Health Sciences, Augusta University<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Opal\u00ae V2R Technology has been used by thousands of researchers worldwide and together, these researchers have published more than 800 peer reviewed papers, greatly contributing to available body of evidence in human movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

APDM, now owned by Clario, has delivered deep scientific expertise and broad endpoint technologies to help transform lives around the world for more than 50 years. Our endpoint data solutions have been deployed over 26,000 times to support clinical trials in more than 100 countries. Our global team of science, technology, and operational experts have supported over 60% of all FDA drug approvals since 2012. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, visit our Wearable Biosensors for Research page<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Q:<\/mark> <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Would you please introduce yourself, your academic background and your research interests?<\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A: <\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Dr. Deborah Jehu is the director of the Geriatric Assessment, Intervention, & Technologies (GAIT) lab<\/a> and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community & Behavioral Health Sciences in the School of Public Health at Augusta University. Her research aims to generate new insights into 1) refining therapeutic interventions; 2) refining fall-risk assessments; and 3) providing a better overall understanding of cognition and mobility in aging populations. She has worked with a wide variety of aging populations, such as healthy older adults, and older adults who fall, as well as those with total knee arthroplasty, Parkinson\u2019s disease, stroke, mild traumatic brain injury, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. She has collaborated with researchers, interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, health authorities, and industry partners across the world, which has provided her with a unique perspective on fall prevention research. Her research has implications for treatment and monitoring strategies as well as understanding fundamental concepts of cognition and mobility in aging populations.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Q:<\/mark> <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What research projects or questions are you currently working on?<\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A: <\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In the Geriatric Assessment, Intervention, & Technologies (GAIT) lab<\/a>, we are currently examining the predictors of falls in older adults with poor mobility and those with mild traumatic brain injury. We\u2019re also investigating sex differences in falls and seeking funding for another randomized controlled trial involving exercise. Additionally, we are conducting a Delphi study to establish a definition for fall-related psychological harm, among other studies.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Q:<\/mark> <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What does a typical day at work look like for you?<\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A: <\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A typical day at work for me involves a mix of teaching Ph.D. students in Applied Health Sciences, marking assignments, and testing older adult participants. I also meet with students, write and review grants, and work on manuscripts. Additionally, I handle editing responsibilities for peer-reviewed journals, contribute to various university and external committees and boards, engage in professional development, and attend conferences.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Q:<\/mark> <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Where do you see the use of wearable IMU\u2019s in human movement research going in the next 5 years?<\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A: <\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In the next five years (2025\u20132030), wearable Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) will likely transform neurodegenerative disease (NDD) research by harnessing precise gait signatures to enable early detection, progression monitoring, and tailored interventions for conditions like Parkinson\u2019s and Alzheimer\u2019s. Cutting-edge AI, including deep learning, will refine these signatures\u2014capturing nuances like stride variability in Parkinson\u2019s or postural sway in Alzheimer\u2019s\u2014to distinguish NDD subtypes with high precision. Integrated into smartwatches and smartphones, IMUs will likely drive population-wide screening, real-time symptom tracking, and adaptive telerehabilitation, potentially reducing falls and enhancing quality of life. While challenges like data privacy and algorithmic bias require careful navigation to ensure equitable access, IMUs stand poised to redefine our understanding of neurodegeneration.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Q:<\/mark> <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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How has Clario\u2019s APDM Opal V2R\u00ae System been most useful in your research endeavors?<\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A: <\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Clario\u2019s APDM Opal V2R\u00ae System has been most useful in my research endeavors due to its portability, which has been extremely helpful for testing participants in the community and at residential care facilities. In my experience, it’s easy for patients and clinicians to use, featuring easy-to-understand graphs. It’s also non-invasive, enhancing participant comfort. I’ve published with it in studies on dementia, Parkinson’s disease, mild traumatic brain injury, healthy older adults, and healthy young adults, making it an important tool in my research.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Q:<\/mark> <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What advice would you give a researcher just starting out in your field? <\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A: <\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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For a researcher just starting in my field, I\u2019d advise connecting with good students and investing in them, as they are a marker for future success. Align your work with scalable interventions and apply for funding every cycle, including both intramural and extramural opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Q:<\/mark> <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Fill in the blank:<\/strong><\/mark> When I\u2019m not working on a research project, you can find me\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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A: <\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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When I\u2019m not working on a research project, you can find me exercising, renovating my house, hosting, cooking, in my garden, or traveling.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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