# Physical Function/Biomechanics Core

> **NIH NIH U19** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2023 · $239,585

## Abstract

The Physical Function and Biomechanics (PFB) Core will provide a suite of tools to aid in characterizing
functional and biomechanical phenotypes of low back pain. The tools provided by our team span sensing
modalities ranging from full body motion tracking, high fidelity spine tracking, and unobtrusive activity monitoring.
These methods are scalable for patient use, are validated against gold-standard methods, and have been
deemed influential within the field of spinal health. These tools have demonstrated potential to predict back pain
risk, assess function throughout recovery, and provide objective outcomes in relation to physical function and
biomechanics. In addition, the PFB Core incorporates a technology evolution plan that will optimize our tools in
response to key functional and biomechanical phenotypes identified from preliminary results from the UCSF
REACH Research Project. We also propose developing a method to assess functional and biomechanical
phenotypes from patient activity outside of the clinic using sensors and real-world data.
Services from the PFB Core will provide the necessary study design input, hardware/devices, post-processing
analyses, and data interpretation to deliver outcomes data to both UCSF REACH and the greater BACPAC
Consortium. The PFB Core will support research spanning the bench-to-bedside continuum, providing unique
tools in biomechanical motion and functional evaluation, and encouraging collaborations between basic,
translational, and clinical researchers. Through this approach, we will address both fundamental questions and
translational projects that cultivate a more integrated model of back pain, further our understanding of disease
pathways and the basis for response to treatments and improve targeting of effective therapies and interventions
to individual patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10765798
- **Project number:** 4U19AR076737-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jeannie Fern Bailey
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $239,585
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2019-09-25 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10765798

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10765798, Physical Function/Biomechanics Core (4U19AR076737-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-30 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10765798. Licensed CC0.

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