News

Katherine DeVivo, MPH, PhD
As the 2024-2025 school year has come to an end, we want to recognize our very own
KD for completing her PhD in Exercise Science under the mentorship of Dr. Pellegrini!
And, of course, we recognize KD's furry friend, Sadie Mae, who was a big part of her
journey! KD is now an Assistant Professor in Exercise Science at Columbia College.
Congratulations, KD!

Hanee Patel, MS
Congratulations, Hanee, on completing your Masters degree in Exercise Science! Hanee
has been a key part of the Pellegrini lab, and we're excited to see what big things
are in store for her following this major milestone!

Jessica Brew at the 2025 Discover USC Conference
Jessica presented her abstract on physician recommendations of physical activity
for individuals with arthritis at the 2025 Discover USC conference! Great work, Jessica,
and good luck as you begin Physical Therapy School at Duke University!

Hanee Patel at the 2025 Discover USC Conference
Hanee presented her abstract on macronutrient intake patterns in older adults with
total knee replacement at the 2025 Discover USC conference! Great work, Hanee!

Zoe May awarded Magellan Apprentice Grant
Congratulations to Zoe on her new Magellan Apprentice Grant! She will be investigating
the relationship between perceived competence in physical activity, pain levels, and
knee health perception.

Jessica Brew's Honors Thesis Defense
Congratulations Jessica on successfully defending amd completing your Honors Thesis
with the Pellegrini Lab! Jessica will be attending Physical Therapy School at Duke
University in the fall.

Maya Butcher's Honors Thesis Defense
Congratulations Maya on successfully defending and completing your Honors Thesis with
the Pellegrini Lab! Maya will be attending Physical Therapy School at the University
of South Carolina in the fall.

The Pellegrini Lab at Society of Behavioral Medicine's Annual Meeting
The Pellegrini Lab was well represented at this year's annual meeting in San Francisco
with Kailyn Horn presenting her poster on physical activity monitor use in older adults
and Dr. Wilcox presenting the results from Dr. Pellegrini's clinical trial "Reducing
Sedentary Time Using an Innovative mHealth Intervention Among Total Knee Replacement
Patients."

Another great year for the Pellegrini lab at the American College of Rheumatology
Annual Conference!
Congratulations Dr. Pellegrini on multiple successful talks and workshops throughout
the conference! We specifically enjoyed partnering with Marie Westby from University
of British Columbia to lead a workshop on performance-based measures in arthritis
research and clinical care. Scott Jamieson gave a great oral presentation of his
recent research and received the Emerging Investigator Excellence Award and Choose
Rheumatology Student and Resident Research Award! Kailyn Horn also gave a great oral
presentation on her research abstract and received the Choose Rheumatology Workforce
Expansion Scholarship!

Dr. Pellegrini funded for new study!
This new project will conduct a randomized controlled trial to find out how much physical
activity (e.g., 45 vs 90 vs 150 minutes/week) is needed to improve arthritis symptoms.
In other words, what is the lowest dose necessary?
Currently Recruiting Participants

Want to manage your health and lifestyle after a knee replacement?
We are offering free participation in a research program designed specifically for
people after knee replacement!
Participants will:
- Attend 5 assessment visits over 18 months and will receive $50 after each assessment
- Receive 12 months of telephone calls with a coach who will help you set goals and
build confidence for managing your health and behaviors after knee replacement
You may be eligible if you:
- Recently had a knee replacement (>3 month ago)
- Have a computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet
- Have a body mass index between 27-45 kg/m
- Are willing to attend 5 research study visits (Columbia or Greenville locations)
Visit https://healthylivingtkr.com/ to find out more or contact us at 803-777-1889 or HealthyLiving@mailbox.sc.edu

Do you want to be more active after a knee replacement?
We are offering free participation in an online research program designed to help
you get more active!
Participants will:
- Attend 4 assessment visits over 12 months and will receive $15 at the 2nd visit, $25
at the 3rd visit, and $50 at the last visit.
- Receive access to the MOST Energized! online program that includes weekly video lessons/short
activities on exercise-related topics, weekly exercise goals and online exercise planning/tracking,
and 0-4 additional components including coaching calls, provider progress reports,
hearing from other with knee replacement, and personalized feedback.
You may be eligible if you:
- Had a knee replacement over a year ago
- Have a computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet
Visit www.most-energized.org to find out more or contact us at (803) 766-6960 or MOSTEnergized@sc.edu

Do you have arthritis and are looking to be more active?
We are offering free participation in a research program designed to help you get
more active and to help us test out 3 doses of physical activity and their effects
on arthritis symptoms!
Participants will:
- Attend 4 study visits on USC's campus over 12 months and will receive $25 at the 3rd
visit and $50 at the 4th visit. You will also earn $40 at the 3rd visit for reporting
your arthritis symptoms on an app for 7 days.
- Receive access to the DREAM 6-month physical activity program that includes exercise/arthritis
related lessons and regular coaching calls.
You may be eligible if you:
- Have any form of arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, or gout
- Have a computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet
- Are willing to attend 4 research study visits at the University of South Carolina
Visit www.dreamstudy.org to find out more or contact us at (803) 777-1889 or dreamstudy@mailbox.sc.edu