Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Institutes of Health, National Research Service Training Award, Division of Cardiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine
- PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2009 Department of Health & Physical Activity, outstanding Doctoral Student , University of Pittsburgh
- 2009 Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute Pilot and Feasibility Grant Award
"Most if not everyone has had an important woman in their life. In my case, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) hits close to home within my family. My grandmother has been battling PAD for several years. She has seen a decrease in her walking ability and this has caused a decrease in her overall quality of life. Having PAD also means a much greater risk of heart attack and stroke. It is critical that I do my part to improve on national health care practices for PAD patients, specifically through exercise and physical activity. If successful, my research may help the next generation of grandmothers (and grandfathers) who face this debilitating disease."
What is the Research Goal?
Dr. Mays’ research goal focuses on developing a community-based walking program for PAD patients. His research goal is to determine the physiological markers that may influence PAD patient’s perception of physical exertion.
Understanding the Research
PAD is a cardiovascular disease resulting from plaque development in the arteries leading to reduced blood flow in the legs. Patients with PAD often experience leg pain while walking. Therefore these patients often avoid activities of daily living requiring ambulation. Supervised exercise programs are very beneficial for these patients but have not been adopted because they are not covered by insurance and because they are not widely available. A community based exercise program may reduce barriers and provide a widely accessible treatment for patients with this disabling disease. Quality of life can substantively be improved by this type of program.