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Science Advisors
Science Advisors
- THOMAS M. BEST, MD, PhD, FACSM
Professor and Chief - Division of Sports Medicine
Co-Medical Director - The Ohio State Sports Medicine Center
A widely recognized expert in the field of Sports Medicine, Dr Best is Professor and Pomerene Chair in the Department of Family Medicine at The Ohio State University. He is Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine and Director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship. Dr. Best is widely published in the area of treatment and prevention of sport-related soft tissue injuries. Dr. Best is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and past recipient of the Kappa Delta Award for Orthopedic Research. He is responsible for the medical care of The Ohio State Mens Hockey team.
- ERIK HELLAND
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Chicago Bulls
Erik has been the Chicago Bulls strength and conditioning coach since 1986. He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a strength and conditioning specialist and USA Weightlifting as a Level I coach. Erik has previously coached at Elk Mound (WI) High School and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He has consulted with numerous college and professional strength and conditioning programs and has worked extensively with athletes from the NFL and European Basketball Leagues, as well as professional, collegiate and high school athletes from nearly every sport.
- SCOTT LEPHART, Ph.D
Chairman & Associate Professor - Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
Associate Professor - Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh
Director - Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, UPMC Center For Sports Medicine
Director - UPMC Golf Fitness Laboratory at Pinehurst
Dr. Lephart is a recognized leader in the field of neuromuscular research. Based on his research and publications, he is the recipient of many of the field’s highest honors and awards. Dr. Lephart is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed research publications, scientific abstracts, textbooks, and textbook chapters. He has presented his research internationally at more than 40 meetings and symposiums. In addition to his participation on our Committee, Next Testing has engaged the expertise of Dr. Lephart for specific input on some of our testing protocols and to conduct longitudinal and cross-sectional research on test results.
- MARK R. LOVELL, Ph.D
Director - The New UPMC Center for Sports Medicine Concussion Program
Under his direction, the ImPACT program focuses on the diagnosis and management of sports-related concussions in athletes of all levels. A nationally renowned sports concussion researcher, Dr. Lovell oversees the neuropsychological testing programs for the National Football League (NFL) and the National Hockey League (NHL) and is a consultant for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also oversees the neuropsychological testing programs for the Indianapolis Racing League (IRL), the US Ski Team and numerous other sports organizations nationally and internationally. Dr. Lovell’s work involves researching the neurocognitive effects of sports concussions and developing better methods of post-concussion evaluation to determine when it is safe for an athlete to return to sports following a concussion.
- DR. MICHAEL STUART
Chief Medical Officer - USA Hockey
Co-Director - The Sports Medicine Center
Professor & Vice Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery - The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn
Dr. Stuart was named the recipient of the 2003 Hughston Award, presented by The American Journal of Sports Medicine. He is considered one of the best sports medicine researchers in the country, and is widely recognized for his extensive work in the prevention of hockey injuries.
