Merrimack College says its new health sciences center on the North Andover campus will offer wellness testing and services to area residents, not just students.

The Center for Health Advancement, Movement and Performance, known as CHAMP, combines academic instruction, faculty research and community-facing health services under one roof. The college announced the launch on Monday, Aug. 24.

The center is organized around three areas: sport performance, nutrition and metabolism, and behavior and wellness. Services listed on the CHAMP web page include VO₂ max testing, sweat testing analysis, body composition assessment using a Bod Pod, resting metabolic rate testing, nutrition consultation, injury prevention, physical therapy and rehab services, blood pressure screening, and yoga-meditation sessions.

The college's newsroom announcement references phased community access, while the CHAMP web page lists services as currently available to the public. Merrimack has not published pricing or scheduling details.

"CHAMP is built around the idea that better understanding can lead to better decisions," said Shane Collins, assistant director of CHAMP. "Our goal is to empower people with meaningful information they can use to take a more active role in their health, wellness and performance."

The center is staffed by graduate and undergraduate students in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, working under faculty supervision. Students gain hands-on experience with real clients while earning hours toward certificates in exercise testing and prescription or health coaching. The health coaching certificate requires 50 hours of direct coaching experience.

Zi Yan, academic dean of health sciences and co-director of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, said CHAMP expands the college's ability to bring faculty expertise and innovative technology beyond the classroom and into the surrounding community.

The launch fits a broader health sciences push at Merrimack. In June, the college announced an articulation agreement with the MGH Institute of Health Professions guaranteeing qualified students admission to four doctoral programs, including physical therapy and occupational therapy. Yan helped broker that deal as well.

Residents interested in services can visit merrimack.edu/academics/health-sciences/champ for details as they become available.