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Welcome to the Clinical Applied Physiology (CAPh) Lab


The Clinical Applied Physiology (CAPh) Lab at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is dedicated to advancing research at the intersection of exercise physiology, rehabilitation, and human performance. The lab focuses on understanding physiological responses to exercise and rehabilitation interventions, particularly among individuals with chronic disease, cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions, neurological impairments, and underserved populations along the U.S.-Mexico border. Through a combination of translational research, community engagement, and student mentorship, the CAPh Lab seeks to develop evidence-based strategies that improve health, function, and quality of life.

The laboratory is directed by Dr. Alvaro Gurovich, PT, PhD, FACSM Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences and an internationally recognized clinical exercise physiologist. Dr. Gurovich's research centers on vascular health, exercise rehabilitation, blood flow restriction training, stroke recovery, and cardiometabolic health. He has extensive experience mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students while leading multidisciplinary research initiatives that address important health disparities in border communities.

Joining the CAPh Lab as Co-Director is Dr. Cesar Silva, PhD Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences. Dr. Silva brings expertise in applied respiratory physiology, respiratory pathophysiology, pulmonary rehabilitation, functional exercise testing, and the pulmonary and extrapulmonary mechanisms of exercise limitation in chronic respiratory disease. His research program integrates physiologic phenotyping, field-based functional assessment, multisystem integration, and the development of wearable health technologies to advance the evaluation and management of chronic respiratory disease

Together, Drs. Gurovich and Silva are committed to fostering collaborative research, developing future healthcare scientists, and translating scientific discoveries into meaningful clinical practice.

 

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Featured News from the CaPH Lab 

 

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"From the Swimming Pool to Precision Cardiovascular Physical Therapy"

Dr. Gurovich's linda crane memorial lecture

 

 

FEATURED NEWS


José Eduardo Cabrero Castro, Ph.D. (right), assistant professor of research in the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Health Sciences, led a study that found the share of older adults in Mexico with no health insurance nearly tripled in the wake of a sweeping national reform in 2020, while out-of-pocket spending on medications remained high. The research was published in the journal Health Policy and Planning. Credit: José Eduardo Cabrero Castro.

UTEP-Led Study Finds Mexico's Health Reform Left Older Adults More Vulnerable to Medical Costs

EL PASO, Texas (July 15, 2026) – Millions of older adults in Mexico lost health coverage in the wake of a sweeping national reform, leaving one of the country's most vulnerable populations to shoulder heavy medical costs on their own, according to a new study led by The University of Texas at El Paso. The financial strain fell hardest where older adults can least absorb it: the ongoing cost of medicines needed to manage chronic disease.

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Connect With Us

The University of Texas at El Paso
UTEP Clinical Applied Physiology Laboratory
Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences
3333 N. Mesa St.
El Paso, Texas 79902

E: agurovich@utep.edu
P: (915) 747-8207