Addison Odessa

Dr. Addison Odessa serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she also holds the Director for Research Affairs administrative role. With dual doctoral qualifications (DPT and PhD) from the University of Utah, she completed postdoctoral training at the University of Maryland and the Baltimore VA Medical Center, establishing herself as a Research Health Scientist and GRECC Investigator for the VA Maryland Health Care System.

• Education: DPT and PhD (University of Utah)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Special Fellowship: Geriatrics (Baltimore VA Medical Center)

Dr. Addison's research focuses on muscle fat infiltration, mobility dysfunction, and balance assessment in aging populations, particularly older veterans. Her work examines how hip abductor muscle composition affects postural control, and she investigates lifestyle interventions (diet/exercise) to mitigate age-related decline. Funded by the NIH, VA, and Foundation for Physical Therapy, she co-leads the NIH Pepper Center's Research Education Core.

Recent publications analyze gait variability, respiratory-muscle interactions, and telehealth balance assessment. Her team's work spans muscle imaging, inflammatory responses, and community-based interventions like VETS AND VEGGIES, while maintaining rigorous methodological focus on ultrasound measurement reliability and ImageJ analysis discrepancies.

• NIH Pepper Center co-leader
• VA Maryland Health Care System researcher
• Gerofit program longitudinal studies
• GLP-1 therapy and mobility research

Dr. Addison's scientific contributions include evaluating neuromuscular activation in older adults, exploring muscle-bone crosstalk, and investigating prebiotic effects on aging cognition. Her clinical work addresses disordered eating in older adults and develops peer-led diet/exercise programs for veterans with dysmobility.