Biomechanics Laboratories Working on Related Projects

If you are interested in biomechanics, take a look at the following labs run by my teachers, students, collaborators and friends.

 

Beth Brainerd

Work in the Brainerd lab integrates studies of morphology, physiology and development toward a more complete understanding of vertebrate evolution. Examples of ongoing areas of research include 3D skeletal kinematics of feeding in pigs and ducks, 3D rib movements during lung ventilation and locomotion, pharyngeal jaw kinematics in cyprinid fishes, intervertebral joint kinematics in fish, skeletal kinematics of Wing-Assisted Incline Running (WAIR), and the morphology and mechanics of segmented musculature.

Cheryl Hayashi

The mechanical properties of silk -- elasticity, tensile properties, breaking strength, etc.  -- are ultimately dependent on the sequence of amino acids that form silk proteins.  Dr.  Hayashi is interested in spider silks across many levels of biological integration, from the molecular genetics and evolution of the various silk genes to analyses of the protein sequences of different types of silk to biomechanical testing of the functional properties of the final product.

Steve Kajiura

Our lab is primarily interested in the integration of sensory biology and behavior with functional morphology. We employ behavioral assays, field observations, and comparative morphology to test hypotheses about the evolution of biological structures. We have concentrated primarily on the elasmobranch fishes, which provide an opportunity to investigate various sensory modalities among closely related but morphologically dissimilar species.
 

Matt McHenry

We use a combination of theory and experimentation to understand how aquatic animals function mechanically. We then apply what we learn about biomechanics to questions about the development, evolution, and behavior of animals. The current focus of the lab is on understanding how zebrafish use their lateral line system to sense the flow of water around them.
 

Phil Motta

My research interests are in functional and ecological morphology, and behavior of fishes, particularly as it pertains to feeding. My graduate students work on ecomorphological, anatomical, functional morphological, biomechanical, or behavioral projects involving feeding in bony fishes, sharks, and rays.

The goal of my current research is an understanding of the comparative functional morphology of the feeding mechanisms in elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays), the relationship of functional morphology to their feeding behavior, and the evolution of feeding mechanisms in sharks and rays.
 

Cheryl Wilga

My research interests center on the functional morphology and evolution of behaviors that are key to individual survival, such as feeding and locomotion in fishes. I use the comparative approach to investigate how changes in the morphology of a musculoskeletal system affect its function. A comprehensive knowledge of the morphology and function of a musculoskeletal system as well as the physical environment is essential in understanding how form and function evolve. Laboratory experiments coupled with field studies and phylogenetic research can provide this information. This integration of function, morphology, ecology and phylogeny is essential to accurately interpret the evolution of structure and function in a system.