Physics is often applied to real-life scenarios, such as the maximum distance a football can be thrown, the velocity of rockets and the torque of a merry-go-round. Even more interesting than applying physics to man-made objects, however, is applying physics to man himself. The physics of the human body is a subject that has caught the interest of many, including Assistant Prof. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Silvia Blemker.
Blemker described her field of research, biomechanics, as using "mechanical engineering principles to study the human body and to understand the mechanisms of muscular impairments."
Blemker combines her background in biomedical engineering and orthopedic surgery with her focus in mechanical and aerospace engineering to research the human body.
"Two of the tools I use in my research are computer modeling and imaging, specifically something called dynamic MRI," Blemker said, explaining that dynamic magnetic resonance imaging is "when you can have a person moving inside a MRI scanner and acquire images of their muscles moving in vivo. This experiment provides a unique glimpse of what muscles are actually doing."
Second-year Engineering student Megan Bell said she found such technology to be very interesting.
"What we have right now --X-rays and [micro CT] scans -- are pretty static recordings of what's going on in the body, but the dynamic MRI seems much more natural and practical, and a useful tool to see what's on," Bell said.
As one might imagine, such insight has many practical uses.
"There are several clinical applications for these modeling and imaging tools," Blemker said. "One example is clarifying the mechanisms underlying muscle stiffness in children with cerebral palsy. We are doing dynamic MRI experiments and computer modeling to understand the properties of muscles in persons with cerebral palsy, and we also use computer modeling to try to optimize surgeries that are done to improve function."
Another area of Blemker's work concerns a problem many students face on a day-to-day basis.
We use "computer modeling and imaging to understand ... the causes of muscle strain injuries," Blemker said. "We are studying the hamstring muscles in high speed running and doing stimulations to predict where injury occurs. Using the simulations, we can also try to come up with ways to prevent injury."
While doing research, Blemker said she works with both graduate and undergraduate students.
"It's great -- the students here are fantastic," Blemker said. "I found that they're really motivated and especially interested in things that could have a clinical and societal impact. It's been a very positive experience."
Blemker also works with undergraduate students by teaching an upper-level course in biomechanics for third-year and fourth-year students.
In this course, "we study the engineering tools used to study movement biomechanics and muscle properties," Blemker said. "The course covers several applications of biomechanics, including sports, rehabilitation and movement abnormalities [and] the students complete a research project on a topic of their choosing."
Bell said she was fascinated by the combination of disciplines covered in Blemker's research.
"The research seems to be combining a lot of the different disciplines of engineering, but also reaching out into the clinical aspects and applying the engineering knowledge," Bell said.
Blemker noted that she works and conducts research not only with students, but also with other faculty at the University.
"I have a lot of excellent collaborators around the Engineering School and in the Medical School," Blemker said. "I find the science and engineering community to be collaborative and energized, especially by interdisciplinary research."
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