Research

Our research currently falls into four broad research areas (click on the links to learn more about each):

1. Upper extremity biomechanics. Currently our research in upper extremity biomechanics is supported by two grants:

• Natural History of Shoulder Pathology in Wheelchair Users is supported by the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child and Human Development (R01HD084423). The Principal Investigator is Missy Morrow at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
• Quantifying Outcomes after Prepectoral Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction is supported by the American Cancer Society (RSG-20-106-01). The Principal Investigator is David Lipps at the University of Michigan.

Gait in the real world. Currently our gait research is supported by one grant:

• Understanding how age, knee osteoarthritis, and symptoms influence the structure and variance of real-world gait mechanics is supported by the NIH National Institute on Aging (R21AG076989). The Principal Investigator is Jocelyn Hafer at the University of Delaware.

Medication adherence. Currently our medication adherence research is supported by one grant:

• Quantifying and Understanding Glaucoma Eye Drop Medication Instillation and Adherence is supported by the NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (R01EB032328). The Principal Investigators are Stephen Cain and Paula Anne Newman-Casey at the University of Michigan.

Human performance. Our human performance research at WVU has focused on two areas:

• Improving post-concussion return-to-play screening protocols for gymnastics athletes. In this research, we collaborate with Kate Jochimsen and Hailee Settle at West Virginia University.
• Quantifying sprint performance with foot-mounted inertial sensors. In this research, we are developing inertial sensor-derived metrics to quantify sprint performance.