Dr. Aoyagi is a physical therapist and rehabilitation scientist whose research expertise is pain mechanisms, especially central pain mechanisms, in knee osteoarthritis (OA) and chronic low back pain (CLBP). Dr. Aoyagi completed his postdoctoral training at Boston University of School of Medicine, where he gained advanced knowledge and skills in epidemiological, biostatistical, and interdisciplinary approaches using data from a NIH-funded cohort of 3000 older adults with or at risk for knee OA, The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST). Dr. Aoyagi's research program aims to improve pain and functional outcomes for people with knee OA and CLBP by 1) identifying risk factors for developing central pain mechanisms, 2) establishing an innovative set of clinical assessment tools to identify the subgroup of people with central pain mechanisms to guide mechanism-based decision-making rather than a “one-size-fits-all” approach and 3) developing novel physical therapy pain management strategies targeting central pain mechanisms. For his Lab's information, please visit https://www.utep.edu/chs/primept/