March 3, 2011 - 4:14pm
Professor Profile: Rachael Seidler
BY SARAH ALSADEN
Rachael Seidler, a University professor of movement science and psychology, is taking her work outside the classroom to improve medical treatment for the elderly and those afflicted with Parkinson’s disease.
Seidler, who has a joint appointment in the School of Kinesiology and LSA, conducts research to understand how the brain controls movement. She said she works with elderly people to determine the effects of aging on structural changes in the brain.
“What my work is showing is that as people age, that structure that is bridging the two sides of the brain breaks down and you actually get more interference between the two sides of the brain and what they’re trying to do,” she said.
Though numerous studies are required to make an impact in the field, Seidler said her current research on how the brain changes with Parkinson’s disease aims to identify whether medications for the disease help patients or actually worsen the condition. With this identification, Seidler said she hopes to discern which areas of treatment need to be improved.
As an undergraduate, Seidler majored in exercise science and minored in biology at the University of Oregon. She continued her education at Arizona State University, completing a master’s in biomechanics and a doctorate in motor control before going to the University of Minnesota for post-doctoral training in neuroscience.
Seidler said she came to the University of Michigan in 2001 because of its reputation for research. She said she enjoys the multi-faceted nature of her job, which includes working on her own research and teaching students.
“Focusing on my research allows me to hopefully make a difference in people’s lives, people with movement disorders, or to better understand changes with age,” she said. “At the same time, I really enjoy teaching and trying to impart this knowledge on students and helping them to achieve their own career goals and even to help them identify what their career goals are.”
Seidler added that she appreciates working as a professor in the School of Kinesiology and in the Department of Psychology because it allows her to interact with people who have different interests.
“I really like having the joint appointment because I get exposure to lots of different colleagues and a large number and wide range of students in comparison to probably what most faculty interact with,” she said.
