Welcome to the Biomechanics and Movement Sciences Interdisciplinary Program
The mission of the Interdisciplinary Program in Biomechanics & Movement Science (BIOMS) is to advance the understanding of complex human systems through interaction of experts who cross traditional divisions of academic study. We strive to train outstanding researchers who will contribute to the advancement of health science through translational and interdisciplinary research. Research findings are disseminated through peer reviewed publications in high impact journals and presentations at national and international conferences. The BIOMS program comprises faculty from the Colleges of Arts & Sciences, Engineering, and Health Sciences who use an interdisciplinary approach to research and graduate education.
What’s New in BIOMS
Movement with (artificial) Muscle
A team of researchers from the College of Health Sciences has received nearly $200,000 in start-up funding from the University City Science Center in Philadelphia to develop a motorized ankle foot device for children with cerebral palsy that includes a novel artificial muscle. The UD team is among four teams selected for funding from among 50 applicants from 12 institutions in the QED Proof-of-Concept Program, designed to help researchers commercialize their work. The grant, equally funded through the QED program and UD, will be used to develop a prototype of the medical device.
The funded project will be led by Ahad Behboodi, a doctoral candidate in UD’s biomechanics and movement science program and the project’s principal investigator. Project co-PI’s include Samuel Lee, Behboodi’s advisor and associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy; Martha Hall, director of the Innovation for Design Lab; Elisa Arch, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology; and Prabhpreet Gill, licensing associate in the University’s Tech Transfer Office, which is housed in the Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships (OEIP).
Read more in this UDaily article.
UD’s Innovation Health & Design Lab
The primary mission of the Innovation Health & Design Lab in the University of Delaware’s College of Health Sciences is to improve health outcomes and quality of life for various patient populations through design. Led by Martha Hall, the lab’s research starts with patients and empathy, meeting with members of the community to design, develop and test wearables that will enhance patient health and overall wellbeing. Wearables include clothing, wearable technology, protective equipment and rehabilitative or medical devices. Its goal is to design wearables that address the broad spectrum of patients’ needs and to highlight the importance of patient-centered design in health sciences.
Delaware Rehabilitation Institute: Leading National Center for Physical Rehabilitation Research
The Delaware Rehabilitation Institute, directed by Tom Buchanan, finds innovative and improved ways to help people recover from injury and disease by bringing together biologists, clinical scientists, engineers, and policy experts to critically address the issues faced by those with disabilities.
BIOMS Featured Research
Shake it Off, a local nonprofit with the mission of supporting the science and practice of exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease, has been funding research at the University of Delaware since 2013. The organization approached Chris Knight, associate professor in Kinesiology & Applied Physiology, to offer a donation to continue the development of the Speed Geezer exercise program. Students lead small groups of people with Parkinson’s through a 4-6 week exercise program to help them combat the effects of the disease.