Tom Oxland

Professor
Tel. (604)-675-8834
Fax. (604)-675-8849
Email. toxland@interchange.ubc.ca

Dr. Oxland is co-Director of the UBC Orthopaedic and Injury Biomechanics Group. He is a Professor in the Departments of Orthopaedics and Mechanical Engineering and a Principal Investigator at ICORD. He is also the Associate Head in charge of Research within the Department of Orthopaedics. Dr. Oxland obtained his PhD from Yale University. After his PhD Dr. Oxland worked at a spine implant company, SpineTech Inc. in Minneapolis and then at the Muller Institute for Biomechanics at the University of Bern. In 1997 he moved to UBC and established the Orthopaedic Engineering Research Division within the Department of Orthopaedics. This Division was inactivated in the summer of 2009 at which time the Orthopaedic and Injury Biomechanics Group was founded. His major research interests include the management of bone loss problems, biomechanics of spine fixation systems and spinal cord injury. He is a member of the Orthopaedic Research Society, the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, the American Society of Biomechanics as well as the Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society. Educational activities include the teaching of a course in Orthopaedic Biomechanics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the regular facilitation of Instructional Skills Workshops within the UBC Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth.

Peter Cripton

Associate Professor
Tel. (604)-822-6629 (at UBC main Campus)
Tel. (604)-675-8835 (at ICORD - VGH)
Fax. (604)-675-8849
Email. cripton@mech.ubc.ca


Dr. Cripton is co-Director of the UBC Orthopaedic and Injury Biomecahnics Group. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, an Associate Faculty Member in the Department of Orthopaedics and a Principal Investigator at ICORD at the University of British Columbia. He obtained his PhD from Queen's University and did postdoctoral work at Yale University. Prior to coming to UBC in 2003 he worked as a consulting engineer at Exponent, Failure Analysis Associates in Philadelphia, PA. At UBC he established the UBC Injury Biomechanics Laboratory. This laboratory was merged into the Orthopaedic and Injury Biomechanics lab in the summer of 2009. Dr. Cripton is a member of the American Society for Testing Materials, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the International Society of Biomechanics and the Orthopaedic Research Society. He is also a Principal Investigator in the Center for Hip Health and Mobility, a research centre focused on the prevention of injury and pathology at the hip.

Dr. Cripton's research interests include injury prevention, spine biomechanics, hip biomechanics, impact biomechanics, spinal cord injury and spinal implant biomechanics. In addition to developing a helmet to prevent spinal cord injuries during head first impacts in sports called the Pro-Neck-Tor™ helmet, Dr. Cripton and colleagues perform research focused on preventing hip fractures. Other specific projects focus on preventing spinal injuries in the vulnerable geriatric and pediatric populations, developing improved mechanical surrogates for injury experiments (i.e. crash test dummy necks and physical models of the spinal cord), and using advanced MRI imaging techniques to better understand spinal cord injury.

Jason Chak

M.Eng. (University of British Columbia)
BASc (University of British Columbia)
Tel. (604)-675-8838
Email. jdchak@interchange.ubc.ca



Jason started his position as a research engineer in May 2009. His main role in the lab is to conduct research projects and provide technical assistance to staff and students when needed. Jason originally started in the lab in May 2007 as a Mechatronics M.Eng student under Dr. Cripton and developed new software to simultaneously operate the spine motion simulator and the Optotrak motion capture system, opening up new avenues of research. On his days off, Jason enjoys much of what the Vancouver area has to offer including Ultimate Frisbee, hiking, kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing and biking.

Jennifer Douglas Mills

BA (Simon Fraser University)
Tel. (604)-675-8836
Email. jendougl@interchange.ubc.ca



Jennifer joined the Department of Orthopaedics in October 2004. Working in an administrative role, Jennifer takes care of the group’s finances and human resources, as well as many other daily activities of the group. In 2006 she joined the Sustainability Coordinator program for the University, and tries her best to get people focused on the environment and ways of reducing our impact. Her personal interests revolve around her two small children, running after them, and writing short fictitious stories about family, buying houses and the disasters that surround each.

Dan Dressler, P.Eng.

M.A.Sc. (University of British Columbia)
B.Sc. (University of Saskatchewan)
Tel. (604)-675-8838
Email. dressler@icord.org







Dan joined the Injury Biomechanics Lab as a research engineer in November 2009 and is responsible for the current experimental development program of the Pro-Neck-Tor™ helmet helmet, a revolutionary concept designed to mitigate cervical spine injury during head-first impacts in sporting and transportation activities. Dan obtained his Master’s of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2006 and upon completion, worked for Own the Podium, a research and development program designed to optimize Canadian athletes’ performances at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, up until joining the IBL. Dan is an active volunteer with the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Global Health Initiative and has a strong interest in global health and development. When not working or volunteering, Dan loves to be in the outdoors and enjoys skiing, mountain biking, hiking, diving, kayaking, and climbing.

Caron Fournier

Tel. (604)-675-8838
Email. caronf@interchange.ubc.ca







I am a native of the Vancouver area. I have been working in Histopathology laboratories for the past 28 years since graduating from U.B.C. with a Bachelor's in Science-Cell Biology. I am a registered Technologist with the Canadian Society of Med Lab Science. I specialize in Electron Microscopy but have worked doing many different histology techniques, including immunohistochemistry, frozen sectioning, special stains, colloidal gold for E.M. immunohistochemistry and many others. I also have a teaching Certificate for B.C. grades k-12. I am currently working with OIBG on any project that needs histology or any related technical advise or assistance. This job allows me to satisfy my curiosity and desire to be a life long learner. I enjoy working with Tom and the students, Post Docs etc. to figure out each project and what needs to be done. Prior to starting in the OIBG Lab, I worked for Olympus as an Imaging Specialist selling, installing and training people on new microscope imaging systems and image analysis software. This has also come in handy for the current position with OIBG.

Angela Melnyk

M.A.Sc. (University of British Columbia)
Tel. (604) 675-8827
Email. amelnyk@interchange.ubc.ca





Angela Melnyk completed her MASc in Mechanical Engineering in December 2010. After studying in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Tom Oxland in the field of orthopaedic biomechanics, she continued her role with the group as a Research Engineer. She works on multiple projects involving the spine. Her personal interests include playing board games and cards, baking and cake decorating.

Tim Bhatnagar

M.Sc. (University of Western Ontario)
B.Sc. and B.Eng. (University of Western Ontario)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. tim.bhatnagar@gmail.com





Tim was born and raised in London, Ontario - site of the first Canadian McDonald's - where he also attended and graduated from the University of Western Ontario with bachelor degrees in Engineering Science and Applied Mathematics in 2004. He continued at Western into a Masters' program in Biomedical Engineering with a thesis focused on investigating osteoarthritis severity using gait analysis. After completing his Masters in 2006, he jumped across the country to the University of British Columbia where he his currently investigating the use of MR scanning and its applicability to understanding spinal cord injury biomechanics, under the supervision of Dr. Tom Oxland. Aside from spinal cord injury, Tim is also interested in the biomechanics of lower back pain. Tim enjoys ultimate frisbee, rugby mountain biking, traveling (and eating all manner of foods while traveling) and training his puppy, Ralph. He has loved being in Vancouver with his wife, Kim, for the past few years, to the point where attaining PhD thesis doesn't seem like a really long time!

Seth Gilchrist

M.A.Sc. (University of British Columbia)
B.S. (University of Wyoming)
Email. seth@mech.ubc.ca




Seth Gilchrist started perusing his PhD in Biomedical Engineering in September, 2007. He is studying in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Peter Cripton and Dr. Pierre Guy in the field of orthopaedic biomechanics. His projects are concerned with the mechanisms of hip fracture and the design and testing of related surgical implants. His personal interests include backcountry skiing, kayaking, kiteboarding, rock climbing, hiking, and just being in the sun, rain, wind or snow in general.

Carolyn Van Toen (née Greaves), P.Eng.

M.A.Sc. (University of British Columbia)
B.A.Sc. (University of Waterloo)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. carolyn@mech.ubc.ca





Carolyn joined the Injury Biomechanics Laboratory as a PhD student in January 2008. Her proposed area of research is development of improved neck injury criteria for head-first impacts. She is also a Managing Engineer at Synaptic Analysis Consulting Group, where she reconstructs injuries resulting from automotive collisions, sporting accidents, occupational or residential accidents, and medical device failures. Carolyn obtained a Master of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia where she developed a finite element model of the cervical spine and spinal cord. She completed her Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. She has also worked at MDA Corporation on the space shuttle based Canadarm and at the Let People Move Clinical Biomechanics laboratory in Perugia, Italy where she researched anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in skiing. Carolyn also performs with stARTdance, a contemporary dance company, and enjoys snowboarding, hiking, and running.

Tim Nelson

B.A.Sc. (University of British Columbia)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. tnelson@interchange.ubc.ca



Tim's interest in injury biomechanics originated when he suffered a massive knee injury while snowboarding. This directed his studies towards Engineering and he graduated from UBC's department of Mechanical Engineering in 2002. After graduating, Tim worked as an accident reconstruction engineer with Graham Ryan Consulting in Alberta. This experience re-confirmed his interest in injury biomechanics and prompted his return to academics. Tim joined the Injury Biomechanics Laboratory as a master's student in September 2004 and he entered the PhD program in 2005. His PhD project involves the development and testing of the Pro-Neck-Tor™ helmet to prevent spinal injuries during head-first impact. Some of Tim's other interests include mountain biking, motocross, snowboarding, motorcycles, cars, road cycling, and hockey.

Tim's PhD. research also involves The Surrogate Neck Project

Robyn Newell

M.A.Sc. and B.Sc. (Dalhousie University)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. newellr@interchange.ubc.ca




Robyn is from the south shore of Nova Scotia. She completed her Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2004. She completed her Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering at Dalhousie under the supervision of Dr. Kevin Deluzio. Her Master's research involved studying gait biomechanics, and in particular, differences in joint loading that have been identified in the gait patterns of people with knee osteoarthritis. Her thesis explored how detecting these gait differences can be affected by both the biomechanical model used, and the analysis technique employed.

Robyn started her PhD at UBC the fall of 2007. Her research is focused on cervical spine biomechanics, posture and neuromuscular function during vehicle rollover accidents. The project will be collaborative between the Mechanical Engineering department at UBC (supervisor: Dr. Cripton) and at MEA Forensic Engineering & Scientists in Richmond where Robyn will work under the supervision of Dr. Gunter Siegmund. Outside of school, Robyn enjoys playing softball, soccer, basketball, and well pretty much any other sport. She also enjoys hiking, camping, and hanging out with family and friends.

Hannah Gustafson

M.S. and B.S. (Ohio State University)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. hgustafs@interchange.ubc.ca


Hannah is currently pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering. Hannah completed her Bachelors and Masters degrees at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 2007 and 2009, respectively. For her Masters, she investigated if the pressure in cadaveric livers during an impact could be used to predict abdominal injury. This work has application in improving the design of crash test dummy abdomens.
When not busy with school, Hannah enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee, running, reading, traveling, and knitting.

Colin Russell

B.A.Sc. (University of British Columbia)
Tel. (604) 675-8845
Email. crussell@interchange.ubc.ca




Colin began working with our group in 2007 when he segmented surface geometry of the rat cervical spine from MRI data during an undergraduate co-op work term. He went on to continue developing a dynamic finite element model from that geometry, and after graduating from UBC with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics in 2008 he started on a Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering to further explore SCI research with his model. Colin is currently investigating the effects of injury velocity and mechanism on the strain distribution in the spinal cord, and comparing results from his model to previous experimental findings. Colin is an avid photographer and also enjoys playing soccer, hiking and biking in his free time.

James Boak

B.A.Sc. (University of British Columbia)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. boak@interchange.ubc.ca




James became interested in biomechanics during his first Co-op work experience at GEERing Up! UBC Engineering and Science for Kids where he designed a pair of mechanical legs to illustrate the muscle and joint motions involved in human gait. His most recent work experience was at the AO Research Institute in Davos, Switzerland where, under the supervision Dr. Keita Ito, he designed and modified laboratory apparatus.

James completed his Bachelors of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering in May 2006 at UBC, after working on several projects related to biomechanics and biomedical engineering. He is pursuing his interest in biomechanics by investigating cervical spinal injuries in geriatric patients with spinal degeneration. Recently, James has collaborated with surgeons from Vancouver General Hospital to analyse flexion-extension X-ray images to find a correlation between cervical spine range of motion in the sagittal plane and spondylotic features that are viewable with a plain sagittal X-ray. In 2008 James spent a year conducting the experimental portion of his research at the Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics at the University of Bern.

James enjoys spending time outside hiking, snowboarding and playing ultimate. His hobbies include photography and cooking but claims to do neither particularly well. James is passionate about music and is rarely away from his mp3's.

Kurt McInnes

B.Eng. (McGill University)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. kurt.mcinnes@gmail.com




Kurt is working on a Master’s of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Oxland and in collaboration with foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Alastair Younger. His research in is focused on simulating and tracking the micromotion between the interface of bone and total ankle replacement implants to study early aseptic loosening as a major cause of current failures. Kurt completed his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in April 2009 at McGill University. He took some biomedical technical elective courses in his final year, which piqued his interest in biomechanics. He then decided to go directly into graduate studies in biomechanics for the following September at UBC. Kurt plays rugby for UBC and also enjoys numerous other sports and generally being active. His hobbies include martial arts, weight training, working on his car and motorcycle, computers, and reading.

Heather Murray

B.A.Sc. (Queen’s University)
Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. hlmurray@ interchange.ubc.ca



Heather started her M.A.Sc in Mechanical Engineering at UBC in September 2009, with supervision from Dr. Thomas Oxland. Her research is in the field of Orthopaedic and Injury Biomechanics, specifically studying the mechanisms of failure of instrumented spinal implants for treatment of sagittal imbalance in the aging spine. Her research involves assessing the impact of various surgical techniques and instrumentation types on the stresses on the vertebrae. She completed her B.A.Sc at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where she focused her studies to the field of biomechanics in her last two years, sparked by her interest in sport injuries and human kinematics and dynamics. She was lead to UBC because of her passion in this field but also for outdoor activities involving mountains and the ocean, both of which are scarce in southern Ontario. She enjoys snowboarding, hiking, biking, playing soccer and volleyball, canoeing, kayaking and hopes to try a number of other sports and activities during her time in Vancouver!

Dr. Kinon Chen

Tel. (604)-675-8845
Email. chen@icord.org







Dr. Kinon Chen is a Biomedical Engineer who joins the group for a two-year post-doctoral fellowship. Kinon joins us from the University of Southern California, where he was working in the Department of Ophthalmology on soft tissue mechanics. Kinon will work with Tim Bhatnagar, Maryam and Jie Liu on the Spinal Cord Injury Mechanisms project.