People
Craig P. McGowan, Ph.D.
My
research focuses on understanding the evolution of
musculoskeletal design and the relationships between morphology
and performance. I received my Ph.D. in 2006 from Harvard
University under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Biewener.
For
my graduate research, I examined how musculoskeletal
specialization influences the functional plasticity of
individual muscles and coordination of whole limb design. As a
model for examining specialization, I conducted experiments
using different species of kangaroos and wallabies.
As an NIH NSRA Post-doctoral research fellow I worked with Dr. Rodger Kram at the University of Colorado at Boulder and Dr. Richard Neptune at the University of Texas at Austin. The goal of my work was to provide a better understanding of how individual muscles contribute to biomechanical subtasks during human walking (e.g., body support and forward propulsion), how muscles are modulated in response to changes in mechanical demand, and how intrinsic muscle properties influence locomotor performance. My research on human locomotion also includes the study of sprint running biomechanics in elite level trans-tibial amputee athletes.
Post-doctoral Fellows
Anne Gutmann, Ph.D.
My
research focuses on understanding how the mechanics and
energetics of locomotion affect movement control and peak
performance. I am also interested in applying these principles
to improve sports performance, prosthetic/orthotic design, and
rehabilitation.
I received a Ph.D. in Medical Science from the University of Calgary in 2011, and a M.S. in Theoretical & Applied Mechanics from Cornell University in 2007. For my Ph.D. dissertation I studied the relationship between the mechanics and energetics of human hopping. This included examining how minimization of metabolic energy influences hop height and frequency selection, and determining how the mechanical properties of the leg muscles dictate maximum hop height. For my M.S. thesis, I studied how constrained Link to CV optimization of metabolic energy influences speed and stride frequency selection in running.
I am also a scientific illustrator. I enjoy the challenge of translating complex scientific concepts into understandable and attractive graphics. Check out my illustration website
Graduate Students
Missy Thompson, MS
My
research focuses on the role of sensory feedback in the
regulation of gait parameters. The goal is to integrate
biomechanical analyses with musculoskeletal modeling and forward
dynamics simulations to gain insight into the role of sensory
feedback during gait. Understanding the role of sensory feedback
in altering gait parameters may provide important knowledge as
to why diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus cause gait alterations
and contribute to improved treatment strategies.
Katie Shine
I
am an international student, originally from Bristol, England.
I am starting my PhD at U of I this fall having studied for my
undergraduate at The Royal Veterinary College in London.
As I am only just starting my PhD I have not decided on a
specific research topic yet but I will be involved in several
different projects in the lab while I decide. However, I
can say, that I am more likely to study animals than humans.
For my undergraduate dissertation I studied scaling in cat
species (from domestic cats to tigers) with reference to whether
their limb posture changed as body mass increased.
Undergraduate Students
Samantha Welker
I am an undergraduate biology major and art
minor. I am currently analyzing and illustrating the hind limb
muscle structure of Desert Kangaroo rats.
Ashley Vaughn
I am an undergraduate student majoring in Biology and Spanish. My research interests include the biomechanics of competitive and recreational athletes as well as how the body and brain communicate.
The
McGowan Lab is looking for energetic, creative and motivated
people to join the research team!
Interested in functional morphology, ecology, and the evolution of musculoskeletal design? Check out the Graduate Program in the Department of Biological Sciences at UI.
Interested in motor control, muscle function, and computer modeling and simulation? Check out the Neuroscience Program at UI.
There are also opportunities for post-docs and undergraduate students.
Please contact Dr. McGowan via e-mail for more information.