Investigator, Instructor Ortho Research Sports MGPO, Mass General Research Institute

Instructor in Orthopedic Surgery Harvard Medical School

bioengineering; biomechanics; deep learning; medical imaging

My research focuses on advancing orthopaedic care through the integration of translational surgical innovation, biomechanical engineering, medical imaging, finite element analysis, cadaveric biomechanical testing, and motion analysis. As Head of the MGH/Harvard Sports Medicine Biomechanics Lab at the Mass General Brigham ENABLE Educational and Research Facility, I work at the intersection of engineering, clinical orthopaedics, and patient-centered surgical planning.

The central goal of my work is to reduce biomechanical uncertainty in musculoskeletal surgery by developing and validating experimental and computational models that can better explain how implants, tissues, and surgical techniques perform under clinically relevant conditions. My research spans shoulder, knee, hand and wrist, spine, and orthopaedic oncology biomechanics, with a strong emphasis on translating laboratory findings into practical tools that improve surgical decision-making and patient outcomes.

At the ENABLE Facility, our team combines hands-on bioskills training, cadaveric biomechanical testing, computational biomechanics, cell biology, and clinical outcomes research within a single integrated environment. This unique infrastructure allows us to evaluate new surgical techniques, optimize implant placement and fixation strategies, study joint stability and motion, and train residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons using scientifically validated methods. The facility’s capabilities include mechanical testing, 3D motion analysis, joint pressure measurement, fluoroscopic imaging, arthroscopy systems, and surgical simulation technologies.

In sports medicine and shoulder biomechanics, my work includes cadaveric and computational studies of shoulder instability, remplissage anchor placement, reverse shoulder arthroplasty stability, glenoid anchor mechanics, and risk factors for fixation-related complications. Additional projects include patellar tendon repair optimization, wrist ligament injury modeling, and evaluation of novel orthopaedic devices and surgical techniques.

A major focus of my current research is the development of patient-specific biomechanical models using CT- and MRI-based anatomy, finite element analysis, and experimental validation. These models are designed to predict mechanical behavior under physiologic and pathologic loading conditions and to help identify patients at higher risk for instability, fracture, implant failure, or poor surgical outcomes. In spine oncology, this work includes predictive modeling of spinal stability in patients with multiple myeloma and metastatic disease, with the long-term goal of supporting more personalized surgical planning and risk stratification.

Across these areas, my mission is to bridge engineering science, clinical insight, and translational innovation to improve musculoskeletal care. By combining computational modeling with rigorous experimental validation, my research aims to create practical biomechanical evidence that helps surgeons choose safer, more effective, and more individualized treatments for patients.