Associate Professor, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University

My research training and diverse scientific background in musculoskeletal pathophysiology has provided me with a unique experimental skill set – combining cell, molecular and immune biology with biomedical engineering that enables me to investigate highly translational questions and mechanisms while grounded in fundamental basic science. I am currently a tenured Associate Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopaedics at the Ohio State University. My current interests lie in developing novel non-addictive biological strategies that directly target the underlying mechanism of discogenic back pain including suitable in vitro and in vivo animal models for clinical translation. My PhD/industry studentship training at the University of Manchester and and Pfizer, provided me with a solid training in IVD pathophysiology and neuronal mechanisms underlying degeneration and pain. My postdoctoral training in the Bioengineering Iatridis labs in the US utilized structure and symptom-modifying developmental based strategies for regeneration of the IVD and in vivo rat pain models to study disease mechanisms, assess mechanics and screen therapeutics.