David Nuckley, Ph.D.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
"The Biomechanics of Spinal Cord Injury"
The cervical spine acts as the main structural column of the neck as
well as the conduit through which our body's neural connections
pass. Our research at the Applied Biomechanics Laboratory centers
on preserving these functions in automotive accidents, during surgical
interventions, and with natural age advancement. Each year
in the US, 11,000 individuals incur spinal cord injuries with varying
degrees of severity. In spite of these numbers, the biomechanical
sequelae surrounding a spinal cord injury (SCI) have not been well
characterized. Our experimental and computational approaches to
understanding SCI have scratched the surface of SCI biomechanics, but
it is clear there is much to be done. I will present an overview
of the biomechanics of SCI and then discuss specific studies we have
performed and future endeavors in the prevention and mitigation of SCI.