Mark Tillman, Ph.D.
Dr. Tillman's research is focused in two areas: lower extremity biomechanics and interdisciplinary biomechanics concentrating on special populations. The goals related to these topics are the same: injury prevention and improving quality of life. Concerning his primary research focus (lower extremity biomechanics); his collaborations with Biomechanists, Physical Therapists, Athletic Trainers, and Orthopedic Surgeons have resulted in publications and funding related to mechanisms of anterior cruciate ligament injury and functional measures of dynamic stability during landing tasks. As a secondary focus, he has worked with Physicians and Occupational Therapists to evaluate the functional outcomes of various therapeutic and surgical interventions for special populations (e.g. wheelchair users, knee replacement patients, and individuals with multiple sclerosis).

Chris Hass, Ph.D.
Dr. Hass’s research focuses on interactions between musculoskeletal biomechanics and sensorimotor control of lower extremity function with particular emphasis on the coordination of locomotion and balance. In addition, Dr. Hass applies biomechanical and neurophysiologic principles to understand aging and disease processes so that exercise interventions can be optimized to improve physical function particularly in aging and Parkinson’s disease populations. Recent discoveries across a broad range of research areas in the neurosciences offer promising opportunities for treatment of neurological disorders. Dr. Hass research emphasizes a translational research approach where the process of applying ideas, insights, and discoveries generated through basic mechanistic scientific inquiry leads to improvements in the treatment or prevention of motor impairment. Part of the mission of this research is to reduce the burden of neurological disease. As a result, his studies cross multiple disciplines, including biomechanics and exercise physiology, but have the common goal of identifying general principles of neuromechanical control that can lead to optimal rehabilitative strategies for improving motor function.