Research

Couple from David Steinberg’s Sex and Disability Exhibit

Dr. Tepper is internationally known for his research on pleasure and orgasm experienced by people with spinal cord injuries.  Dr. Tepper had the great honor of working with Drs. Beverly Whipple (lead researcher and author of the book, The G-spot) and Barry Komisaruk on groundbreaking research with women who have spinal cord injuries. That research led to the first fMRI studies of the brain during orgasm and the identification of a new nerve pathway that innovates the genitals.

His first formal sexuality research, about eight years after acquiring a spinal cord  injury, was a national study of sexuality education and counseling services received by men and women with spinal cord injury (SCI). Dr. Tepper conducted this study as a graduate student in public health at Yale University School of Medicine. He was working on a degree in health policy and management at the time, heading toward a career in hospital administration. He decided to focus his Master’s thesis on the delivery of sexual health care services in rehabilitation settings because of the great importance his own sexual self-discovery journey had on his overall rehabilitation process.

Research Grants

Co-Director, Morehouse School of Medicine, Satcher Health Leadership Institute Disability Partnership with Georgia State University, charged with helping GSU’s Center for Leadership in Disability develop leadership and training opportunities for health professionals dedicated to eliminating health disparities in minority populations and helping GSU reach minority populations with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Georgia, HHS/ADD, 2009-2012, $675,000.

Principal Investigator, Atlanta Research and Education Foundation, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA. Seed funding to develop couples-focused interventions and research program for combat Veterans, 2009-2010, $100,000.

Principal Investigator, Sexual Health Profilers for Disabled Individuals, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Small Business Innovation Research Program, 1R43HD45071-01A1, 2004 to 2005, $99,374.00.

Research Fellow, National Research Service Award, Predoctoral Fellowship Program (Disability), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Fellowship number 1 F31 HD 08296-01, 1997-2000, $17,987

Project Director, Providing Comprehensive Sexual Health Care in SCI Rehabilitation: Continuing Education and Training for Education Health Professionals, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Spinal Cord Injury Education & Training Foundation, ETF # 187-93, 1993 – 1994, $38,339.