Executive Director of CONTINUUM Lab

Dr. Jereme Wilroy, PhD

Dr. Wilroy received his doctoral degree in health education and promotion from the University of Alabama. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, and within the department he is the co-director of the UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model System. In addition, Dr. Wilroy has a secondary appointment in the Department of Health Behavior in UAB’s School of Public Health where is a co-director of the Disability Health Studies Graduate Certificate. 

Dr. Wilroy is the Director of Research at Lakeshore Foundation located in Birmingham, Alabama, which maintains one of the nation’s premier fitness, recreation, and research facilities for persons with physically disabling conditions. As director of research. Dr. Wilroy oversees the development of research infrastructure and creation of collaborations with adapted sports science labs across the U.S. receiving funding from Lakeshore Foundation. Dr. Wilroy is passionate about his research to benefit the lives of individuals with disability through exercise, rehabilitation, and sport. Read here about why he founded the CONTINUUM Lab. 

Postdoctoral Fellow

Yumi Kim, PhD

Yumi Kim is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She is responsible for study protocol design, database setup/management, data administration, and dissemination across projects in the CONTINUUM Lab.

She received her doctorate degree in Rehabilitation Science from UAB and her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Kinesiology and Adapted Physical Activity from California State University, Northridge. Her prior clinical experience involved working at land- and aquatic-based therapeutic exercise centers for individuals with various types of disabilities (i.e., stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury).

Her research interest is developing and implementing community-based health-promoting programs delivered via the telehealth platform to enhance accessibility and adapt physical activity for people with spinal cord injuries and wheelchair users. She focuses on developing evidence-informed, adaptive interventions that allow flexible treatment modalities, doses, and delivery mechanisms precisely tailored to the individuals’ needs, using the sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) application.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Younguk Kim, PhD

Younguk Kim is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is an ACSM-certified Exercise Physiologist (EP-C) and earned his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology at Kent State University. During his Ph.D. period, he focused on investigating how exercise can be leveraged to promote neurorehabilitation and enhance motor function in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. His current research interest centers around identifying optimal and personalized exercise prescriptions for special populations such as those with spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s disease, aiming to maximize their health-related physical fitness and overall quality of life.

Clinical Research Coordinator

John Giannone, MS

John Giannone received his B.S. degree in Geology from SUNY New Paltz and his M.S. in Secondary Education/Earth Science from Long Island University. He is the Clinical Research Coordinator for the SMART-HEALTH and CHIME studies.

He has experience in a variety of disciplines, including extensive experience in education and training, website development, and internet marketing. After an automobile accident and a year of physical and occupational therapy, he decided to pursue a new career in rehabilitation research. His diverse background brings a wide range of skills to the team and UAB.

John works on a variety of studies that recruit PM&R patients into large randomized controlled trials with a home-based exercise intervention. His responsibilities include project design and branding, creating and optimizing workflow, managing content production and team collaborators, as well as managing the platform and content.

Clinical Project Coordinator III

Lori Theriot

Lori Theriot earned her B.A. degree in Communications from the University of Alabama. Her primary role is as the clinical project coordinator for the UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model System site project investigating changes in gut microbiome after spinal cord injury. Lori is also responsible for recruitment and engagement across CONTINUUM Lab studies.

Lori has dedicated her career to supporting individuals with physical disability to live longer, healthier lives. Prior to joining the CONTINUUM Lab, she was employed at Lakeshore Foundation beginning in 2004 and worked in the research department for 15 years. She lives in Trussville with her husband, Chris, and daughter, Juliette.

Student

Madi Mintz

Madison Mintz is a doctoral candidate within the Rehabilitative Sciences Ph.D. program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  Madison is involved in studying virtual health strategies and exercise components among individuals living with physical disabilities and/or mobility limitations.  In her free time, she is passionate about exploring nature and spending quality time with friends and family.