Lawrence G. Pan, P.T., Ph.D, F.A.P.T.A.
Professor, Department Chair
Department of Physical Therapy
Schroeder Complex 346H
(414) 288-7161
Dr. Pan worked for 22 years as a staff physical therapist at Columbia Hospital in Milwaukee specializing in joint mobilization and arthritis rehabilitation. Dr. Pan maintains an active research program in central control of breathing. He is funded by research grants from the NIH and the Veteran's Administration and studies the role of brainstem nuclei in breathing responses during exercise, hypoxia and CO2 breathing. Dr. Pan has published
83 peer-reviewed research articles and eight book chapters. He is a strong supporter of PT research and mentored Marquette students in initiating the Marquette Challenge, a nation-wide effort to student challenge to raise money for the Foundation for PT Research. The challenge has raised over $1.5 million for physical therapy research since 1989.
Because of Dr. Pan’s commitment to urban health issues, he holds two federal grants from the US Health and Human Services - a 3-year 1.6 million dollar Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) grant to recruit and retain disadvantaged students in health professions, and a $900,000 Youth Empowered to Succeed (YES) Program that fosters healthy life choices in Hispanic youth. With Dr. Pan as the HCOP Director, Marquette offers a wide variety of pre-college and summer programs designed to educate and retain disadvantaged students in PT. In 2008, Dr. Pan won the Spirit of Philanthropy Award from the Foundation for Physical Therapy.
Degrees Held
- B.A. in Math (Macalester College)
- B.S. in Physical Therapy (St. Louis University)
- Ph.D. in Physiology (Medical College of Wisconsin)
- NIH Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship
Teaching Responsibilities
- PHTH 7558 Human Neuroanatomy
Special Interests
- Exercise Physiology
- Respiratory Physiology
- Neural Control of Breathing
- Minority Education
National Awards and Honors
- Margaret L. Moore Award as the Outstanding New Faculty Member in physical therapy (1991) from the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA).
- APTA's Minority Initiatives Award in 1991 as the top new minority initiative in recruitment and retention program in the country respectively.
- APTA’s Minority Achievement Award in 1995, as the best ongoing recruitment and retention program in the country respectively.
- Charles Magistro Award for longstanding service to the Foundation for Physical Therapy through the Marquette Challenge.
- APTA’s Diversity 2000 Award in 1998 for outstanding service to cultural diversity issues.
- Spirit of Philanthropy Award from the Foundation for Physical Therapy in 2008.
Professional Organizations
- American Physical Therapy Association, 1976 to present
- Wisconsin Chapter of the APTA, 1976 to present
