Mechanical Engineering

Research in this area broadly covers orthopaedic biomechanics, joint replacement (implant) design and analysis, joint motion, impact loading and analysis, advanced medical imaging, injury causation biomechanics and sport science. Students working in this area may have the opportunity to participate in the combined research projects with the Departments of Surgery and Kinesiology.

The following faculty members are involved in this area:

L. Ferreira, Ph.D., P.Eng. (Western University, Canada), Associate Professor

Current research is primarily in the field of Medical Mechatronics, with special interest in orthopaedic surgery and the biomechanics of major joints. The focus of his work is to improve healthcare in the context of orthopaedic surgeries, with specific objectives to improve surgical outcomes and eliminate unnecessary surgical revisions. The research plan is to leverage current technologies and to develop new technologies and methods, in order to provide orthopaedic surgeons with a broad array of new tools and information.

J. A. Johnson, Ph.D., P.Eng. (Technical University of Nova Scotia, Canada), Professor, Co-Director and Scientist - Bioengineering Research Laboratory, Hand and Upper Limb Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute.

Research encompasses the application of engineering-based studies to address clinical problems such as fracture fixation, soft-tissue and ligament repair, and implant replacement.

T. Jenkyn, Ph.D., P.Eng. (Strathclyde, UK), Associate Professor, Co-director - Wolf Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory (Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic).

Current research interest in ‘in vivo’ biomechanics, particularly orthopaedic biomechanics as it relates to athletic injuries and disabilities resulting from diseases such as osteoarthritis.

E. Lalone, Ph.D., (Western University, Canada), Associate Professor

Current research interests are biomechanics, kinematics, joint contact mechanics, musculoskeletal imaging, orthopaedic biomechanics, rehabilitation sciences

G. D. Langohr, Ph.D., (Western University, Canada), Assistant Professor

Research interests include design and analysis of orthopaedic joint replacement implants, computational and in-vitro tribological assessments of interacting surfaces, and finite element analysis of mechanical and biological structures.

H. Mao, Ph.D., (Wayne State University, USA), Assistant Professor

Research interests include head biomechanics, traumatic brain injury, mechanisms of brain dysfunction, impact biomechanics, blast biomechanics, constitutive modeling of soft materials, solid and structural mechanics.

R. Willing, Ph.D., P.Eng. (Queen's University, Canada), Associate Professor

Research interests include orthopaedic biomechanics; biomedical implant design and analysis; computational and experimental biomechanics; multiobjective design optimization

The Collaborative graduate program in Musculoskeletal Health Research brings together outstanding groups in a broad spectrum transdisciplinary areas relevant to musculoskeletal health and related fields.

Admission requirement of the MME home program must be met. Degree requirement of the MME home program plus the collaborative program must be met.

The following Western faculty members are involved in this area:

E. Lalone, Ph.D., (Western University, Canada), Associate Professor

Current research interests are biomechanics, kinematics, joint contact mechanics, musculoskeletal imaging, orthopaedic biomechanics, rehabilitation sciences

Research focus in this area is on design methodologies and tools, multi-axis CNC machining, computer-aided design and manufacturing, and intelligent machining systems.

The following faculty members are involved in this area:

A. Price, Ph.D. (University of Toronto, Canada), Associate Professor

Research interests include smart material actuators and sensors; mechatronic systems for industrial automation and biomedical applications; additive manufacturing of advanced materials; conductive electroactive polymers and composites; magnetic and thermal shape memory materials.

O. R. Tutunea-Fatan, Ph.D. (Western University, Canada), Professor

Primary research is in the area of five-axis numerically controlled (NC) machining of complex surfaces, in an attempt to simultaneously improve the productivity and efficiency of the process through an optimized coordination of the machine tool movements. The research in the macroscale domain will be complemented by activities in the micromachining area, trying to address an increased need for precise miniaturized components. Due to numerous differences between macroscale and microscale operations, it is expected that many of the macroscale results will require a significant amount of adjustment in order to become applicable in micromachining.