INTELLECTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD

Translational Biomechanics

TRANSLATIONAL BIOMECHANICS

The Translational Biomechanics neighborhood is home to experts in biological material testing and modeling, clinical imaging and bioimaging, human motion and movement science, mechanobiology, medical device design, rehabilitation, robotics and more. We’re translating basic and applied research into clinical practice to help people move better.

NEWS

EXPERT SPOTLIGHTS

Jill Higginson

Higginson, professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering and Associate Dean for Graduate and Postgraduate Education, aims to improve the understanding of muscle coordination for normal and pathological movements through coupled experimental and simulation studies. Her research group uses computational models to develop a cause-and-effect framework that relates muscle impairments to gait deviations. The overarching goal is to form a scientific rationale for therapeutic interventions to improve movement.

Fabrizio Sergi

Sergi, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, directs the Human Robotics (HuRo) lab. Research in the HuRo lab aims to achieve the dual goals of developing and validating robotic technologies for human assistance and rehabilitation, and of using such novel technologies in experimental studies modeling the healthy and impaired human motor control.

X. Lucas Lu

Lu, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, studies articular cartilage and osteoarthritis, in particular how cartilage and bone cells sense the mechanical forces generated from our physical activities and transfer the signals into orchestrated cellular activities. He recently received an R01 grant from NIH to investigate how statins, drugs commonly prescribed for high cholesterol, might protect cartilage against osteoarthritis, the common age-related wear and tear that causes joint pain for millions of Americans.

KEY RESEARCH CENTERS AND INSTITUTES

Center for Biomechanical Engineering Research

CBER is an interdisciplinary center whose mission is to provide engineering science and clinical technology to reduce the impact of disease on the everyday life of individuals. It was created to provide an appropriate forum and infrastructure to promote the interaction of biomedical researchers from the university, industry and the medical community. Website

DELAWARE BIOTECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE

The Delaware Biotechnology Institute is a magnet for life science research and development that supports multidisciplinary, collaborative academic research at all of Delaware’s research organizations including the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Christiana Care Health System, Nemours / AI DuPont Hospital for Children, Wesley College, and Delaware Technical and Community College. Website

Delaware Rehabilitation Institute (DRI)

DRI is devoted to research, education and practice in rehabilitation. Its mission is to find innovative and improved ways of helping people recover from injury and disease by providing an intellectual hub for clinicians, scientists, and engineers to work together to improve physical rehabilitation. Website