BIOMS Faculty

• Human cardiac tissue engineering
• Cell and developmental biology of the mammalian heart
• Advanced electrophoretic techniques for analysis of the proteome
• Interactions between nerve and muscle in children with cerebral palsy

• Adaptive capacity of the human musculoskeletal system during movement tasks
• Interaction between the musculoskeletal system and prosthetic and orthotic devices
• Optimization of the design and prescription of prosthetic and orthotic devices

• National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development
  RO3 Award
• National Institutes of Mental Health
  R33 Award
• Autism Speaks
  Pilot Treatment Award
• UConn Foundation
  UConn Large Grant

• Biomedical Engineering
  Engineering: musculoskeletal modeling, neural control of movement, patient-specific modeling using MRI and ultrasound, muscle mechanics. Medicine: orthopaedics, radiology, neurology, rehabilitation.
• Biomechanics
  Mechanical models of how muscles generate forces and how such forces affect loads in cartilage and ligaments; applications to osteoarthritis, stroke and sports medicine.
• Life & Health Sciences
  Director of the Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (www.udel.edu/dri), which brings together faculty across campus to study physical rehabilitation.

• Broad based multidisciplinary concussion research program which primarily focuses on:
  • Concussion: 1) Impairments in postural control/balance following a concussion, 2) Determination of post-concussion recovery, 3) The relationship between post-concussion return to participation and associated sequel, and 4) Athletic Trainers concussion management practice patterns.
  • Postural Control/Balance: Primary interest here involves the role of Dual Task cognitive challenges on performance of balance testing.

• Brain imaging and motor behavior in healthy aging and movement disorders.
  – Risk of Parkinson’s disease

  – Motor phenotyping in Parkinson’s disease

  – Cerebellar disorders

  – Neuroimaging and rehabilitation

1) understanding the neural mechanisms underlying pain and movement interactions;

2) validating performance-based measures for use in pain populations;

3) developing and testing movement-based interventions to reduce pain and improve function; and

4) implementing effective pain rehabilitation approaches in real-world clinical settings. 

• Neuromechanics and Control of Human Movement
• Neuroplasticity and Sensorimotor Learning

• Developing and implementing novel techniques for structure-function assessments in musculoskeletal tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Approaches include robotic biomechanical testing, MRI and ultrasound imaging, and wearable biomechanical sensors.

• The long-term goal of my research is to extend the health span of patient populations through interventions to reduce the incidence of falls, lessen the severity of fall injury, and enable physical activity.
  • My studies often employ biomechanical analyses of gait and fall recoveries.
  • My research is applicable to many ambulatory patient populations, including older adults, individuals with lower-extremity amputations, and individuals with chronic stroke.

• Development of neuromotor coordination and control in children with autism, learning disabilities, and developmental coordination disorder
• The relationship among motor proficiency, physical activity, and health related fitness in pre-school aged children

• The primary mission of the Innovation Health & Design Lab is to improve health outcomes and quality of life for various patient populations through design.
• Wearables include clothing, wearable technology, protective equipment, and rehabilitative or medical devices.
• Our 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.

• Biomedical Engineering
  muscle coordination; normal and pathological movement; experimental and simulation studies; musculoskeletal modeling
• Biomechanics
  Muscle coordination of normal and pathological movements; upper and lower extremity function; musculoskeletal modeling and simulation
• Life & Health Sciences
  osteoarthritis; stroke; rehabilitation science

• Research focuses on the impacts of natural disasters on public health
• Linkages between disaster planning and the actions communities and individuals take to prepare, respond and recover.

• Control of Upright Balance during Standing/Walking
• Multisensory Processing for Balance Control
• Virtual Reality
• Neurological Conditions that Lead to Balance Deficits
• Concussion, Parkinson’s Disease, Vestibular Loss, Cerebral Palsy, Aging

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Elastography
• Brain Tissue Mechanics
• Neuroimaging

• Chronic Ankle Instability
• Effects of repetitive head impacts in soccer players across the spectrum
• Functional performance and recovery assessment in the athletic population

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and surgery
• Knee gait biomechanics
• Neuromusculoskeletal modeling
• Finite element modeling
• Semi-quantitative and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Spine biomechanics

• Effects of Parkinson’s disease and aging on the neural control of movement
• Exercise to improve neuromuscular function in people with Parkinson’s disease and older adults
• Muscular force control at the level of the motor unit
• Neuromuscular research methodology