Director, Co-Director, Professor

Deb Kegelmeyer’s main research focus is mobility and exercise in aging individuals or those who have a neurodegenerative disease. These focus areas cover diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's, and Huntington’s disease and involve investigating the ability of individuals to perform functional mobility in a safe manner including examination of underlying systems such as balance, gait, and cognitive function.

Dr. Kegelmeyer is co-director of the M.E.N.D. lab (Mobility and Exercise for Neurodegenerative Disorders) with Dr. Anne Kloos and Dr. Sandra Kostyk. The MEND Lab researchers created an HD Exercise Video with support from the OSU Huntington's Disease Center of Excellence and the OSUMC Service Board.

Dr. Kegelmeyer is investigating novel ways to prevent injurious falls and subsequent institutionalization through a unique study examining the impact of a program designed to identify at-risk individuals and treat them before they have a fall. She is also one of a handful of researchers investigating mobility issues in individuals with Huntington’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia.

Dr. Kegelmeyer is also a co-author of an international publication "Guidelines for Physiotherapy in Huntington's Disease" produced by the European Huntington Disease Network, of which she is a member. She strives to help improve the quality of life for individuals with diseases that are less prevalent and therefore garner less attention from mainstream researchers, such as Huntington’s disease.