Could exercise be part of a mental health plan?This University of Maryland, Baltimore research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is exploring how exercise affects the brain — helping improve mood, reduce anxiety, and build cognitive resilience.Ian Kleckner, PhD, MPH, is an associate professor and director of the Cancer Control Mind & Body Lab at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.This is part of Breakthroughs Can’t Wait: Changing the Future Today, a campaign highlighting the power of federally funded research to transform lives.🔗 Learn more: https://www.umaryland.edu/breakthroughs#BreakthroughsCantWait #MentalHealth #ExerciseForTheMind #NIHfunding #BrainHealth #ScienceForWellbeing

Could a simple workout before chemo help prevent painful nerve damage?Ian Kleckner, PhD, MPH, associate professor and director of the Cancer Control Mind & Body Lab at the University of Maryland School of Nursing is conducting NIH-funded research to see how exercise may reduce chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), giving patients more control over their recovery.This is part of Breakthroughs Can’t Wait: Changing the Future Today, a campaign showcasing federally funded research improving lives across Maryland and beyond.🔗 Learn more: https://www.umaryland.edu/breakthroughs#BreakthroughsCantWait #CancerResearch #ChemotherapySupport #Neuropathy #NIHfunding #ExerciseForHealth #OncologyCare #CIPN

Families, educators, and community leaders gathered at the Rise Early Learning and Family Support Center to celebrate a groundbreaking first year serving West Baltimore.Housed within the University of Maryland School of Social Work's Center for Restorative Change, RISE is a first-of-its-kind model in Maryland that integrates early childhood education, family services, workforce development, and health support — all under one roof in the Upton/Druid Heights neighborhood.#RiseBaltimore #EarlyLearning #FamilySupport #WestBaltimore #SocialWork #UMB #PromiseHeights #CommunityCare #WholeFamilySupport #BlueprintForMaryland #BmoreForHealthyBabies #FamilyConnections

What if one of the most powerful ways to ease the side effects of cancer treatment didn’t come from a drug prescription, but from movement?That’s the focus of Ian Kleckner, PhD, MPH, associate professor and director of the Cancer Control Mind & Body Lab at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. A physicist-turned-psychologist and neuroscientist with a passion for understanding how the mind and body work together, Kleckner is studying how exercise can reduce the painful, long-lasting nerve symptoms caused by chemotherapy — known as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.Backed by the National Institutes of Health and American Cancer Society, Kleckner’s lab uses methods from neuroscience, physiology, and behavioral science to examine how walking and resistance exercise can improve not only physical function, but also brain activity, balance, and mood in people with cancer. The lab’s work is grounded in his belief that the key to treating neuropathy lies not only in the nerves in the hands and feet, but in the brain’s ability to adapt and retrain the body.This spotlight is part of Breakthroughs Can’t Wait: Changing the Future Today, a campaign highlighting how federally funded research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore is driving health innovation.🔗 Learn more about his research: https://www.umaryland.edu/breakthroughs #BreakthroughsCantWait #NIHResearch #HealthInnovation #ExerciseScience #PainRelief #MentalHealthMatters #OncologyCare

Could exercise be a key part of cancer treatment? At the University of Maryland, Baltimore, researchers are uncovering how movement and tailored exercise programs can help cancer patients recover faster, reduce side effects, and improve their quality of life.This is one more example of how federally funded research at UMB is transforming care and changing lives.🧪 Breakthroughs Can’t Wait: UMB research drives innovation, improves lives, and tackles global challenges. But we can’t do it without continued support.🔗 Learn more and support research that saves lives: https://www.umaryland.edu/breakthroughs#BreakthroughsCantWait #CancerCare #ExerciseOncology #CancerRecovery #UMBResearch #NIHfunding #HealthInnovation #ExerciseScience