About
Introduction
MovingiSMA℞T is the gamified version of the Moving is Medicine program, a college and community outreach initiative led by Professor Olufunmilola Abraham. Moving is Medicine uses culturally meaningful movement and expression to enhance community health and wellbeing, providing safe spaces for cultural expression through various dance and movement modalities including afrobeat dance, yoga, and Zumba. MovingiSMA℞T translates this philosophy into an engaging, interactive game experience currently in development by the CRoME Lab.
Purpose
The purpose of MovingiSMA℞T is to bring the core principles of the Moving is Medicine program — that dance is medicine, exercise is medicine, and music is medicine — into an accessible, game-based format. By gamifying culturally meaningful movement, MovingiSMA℞T aims to create inclusive experiences where diverse individuals can connect through movement, leveraging peer support to improve brain, emotional, heart, physical, and mental health.
Goal
Our goal is to develop an engaging educational game that motivates players to prioritize physical activity and wellness through culturally relevant movement. By combining the evidence-based benefits of the Moving is Medicine program with interactive game mechanics, MovingiSMA℞T aims to reach a broader audience and encourage sustainable healthy movement habits across all backgrounds, ages, and fitness levels.
Moving is Medicine
The Moving is Medicine program launched at the University of Kentucky in September 2025 as Wellness Fridays, a monthly hour-long gathering where faculty, staff, students, and community members come together for guided movement sessions. The program operates on the principle that movement is essential for individual and community health beyond entertainment value, creating inclusive gathering spaces where diverse individuals connect through movement.
Media
Contact
If you have questions about this research, please contact the Principal Investigator, Dr. Olufunmilola Abraham by email: Olufunmilola.Abraham@uky.edu.
If you have questions about the CRoME Lab, our studies, becoming a participant, or want to join the team, please contact the Research Coordinator by email: crome.lab@uky.edu.
To learn more about the Moving is Medicine program, visit the Moving is Medicine page.
The CRoME Lab's mission is to develop, implement, and disseminate novel methods for improving medication safety and health behaviors for vulnerable and underserved populations, while training the next generation of researchers. Projects within the CRoME research core share the common goal of applying community-engaged, collaborative, and transdisciplinary approaches to improving medication use and health outcomes for families through education, prevention, and intervention programs. For more information, please visit our website: https://pharmacy.uky.edu/crome/
Funding Support
Funding information for MovingiSMA℞T will be updated soon. For more details about the CRoME Lab's research funding and support, please visit the CRoME Lab website.