Event Date
JENNIFER NICHOLS, PHD
Associate Professor, J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering
Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
University of Florida
Host: Carolynn Patten, PT, PhD, cpatten@ucdavis.edu
This is an in-person event. Please register here: https://tinyurl.com/Neuroeng-Feb25
Registration for remote attendance is limited to colleagues from the Sacramento campus and those working remotely: https://tinyurl.com/NeuroengFeb25
Abstract
Clinical care is full of compromises. A joint can be replaced, but range of motion will be impaired. Pain can be alleviated, but strength may not be restored. Clinical care requires compromise because the relationship between movement, pain, and pathology is not fully understood. In this talk, I will present our ongoing work to understand the interrelated nature of movement and pain, and how we are using this understanding to enhance patient-specific prognostics. Specifically, I will discuss our work on thumb osteoarthritis and rotator cuff tears to illustrate how we integrate measurements from motion analysis, electromyography, movement-evoked pain testing, and quantitative sensory testing. I will also discuss how we use explainable artificial intelligence and other machine learning methods to enable both global (or disease-specific) and local (or patient-specific) analyses.
Bio
Dr. Nichols is an Associate Professor and Pruitt Family Endowed Faculty Fellow in the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Florida. She has Affiliate Faculty Appointments in the Departments of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Before joining University of Florida, she completed undergraduate training in mechanical engineering at Tufts University, graduate training in biomedical engineering and bioethics at Northwestern University, and postdoctoral training in orthopaedic biomechanics at University of Utah.
The guiding vision of Dr. Nichols’ Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Lab is to create predictive simulations that cross disciplinary boundaries and improve the functional ability and quality of life for individuals with musculoskeletal disorders. Dr. Nichols is a recognized leader in applying machine learning methods to orthopaedic biomechanics problems. This is illustrated by receipt of an Early Career Achievement Award from the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB), an Outstanding Researcher Award from the National Center for Simulation in Rehabilitation Research (NCSRR), and the Trailblazer Award from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). Dr. Nichols is also an emerging leader in understanding the relationship between movement, pain, and osteoarthritis. For this work, she has received a National Institutes of Health KL2 Career Development Award and two R01 Research Project Grants. Her research integrates orthopaedic biomechanics, musculoskeletal computer simulations, quantitative pain testing, medical imaging, and machine learning to understand the patient- and surgeon-specific factors that influence musculoskeletal health.