.jpg)
Research Associate
Mayo Clinic
I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
The overarching goal of my research career is to advance rehabilitation technologies for improving health and function of persons with disabilities, specifically spinal cord injury (SCI). My academic training and research experience have provided me with a broad interdisciplinary background in engineering and health science including mechanical engineering, robotics, biomechanics, rehabilitation engineering, and assistive technology. I started my research activities in the field of robotics when I was an undergraduate student. My research was focused on locomotion systems (wheeled and biped) and the application of robotics in orthotics and prosthetics. my doctoral research focused on quantitative evaluation of geared manual wheelchair mobility in individuals with SCI. I developed quantitative methods through an integrative approach based on biomechanical and physiological analyses and functional assessments of manual wheelchair users with SCI. Using this integrative approach, we demonstrated that using geared wheels (a novel alternative propulsion mechanism) benefits MWC users to independently accomplish more strenuous tasks such as propulsion on carpeted floor, while reducing the risk of secondary upper limb injuries. Currently I am a research associate at Mayo Clinic. I am studying the shoulder pathology in MWC users utilizing shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and free-living environment data collections of arm use with inertial measurement units. Within the past three years, I produced six first author research publications and I collaborated on numerous other studies and publications. Overall, my work during my doctoral and postdoctoral training has been focused on development of novel and innovative technology and methodologies to understand the underlying causes of secondary upper limb pathology in individuals with SCI and help this population to live healthier with improved function. My background demonstrates a high degree of productivity at all training phases and a track-record of commitment to research on SCI rehabilitation and assistive technology.
