Personnel

The Sports Medicine Research Laboratory (SMRL) is supervised by faculty members in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. Doctoral students and graduate research assistants are also a part of the SMRL team, working together to advance the research agenda of the SMRL.

Back row (from L to R): Kevin Guskiewicz, Bill Prentice, Jason Mihalik, Troy Blackburn, Steven Zinder, Benjamin Goerger, Marc Norcross, Joseph Myer, Darin Padua.
Front row (from L to R): Saki Oyama, Shana Harrington, Johna Register Mihalik, Lindsay Strickland DiStefano, Michelle Boling, Luke Ross, David Bell.
Absent: Michael Lewek, Stephen Marshall, Melanie McGrath, Meredith Petschauer.

Faculty

Kevin M. Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC (gus@email.unc.edu)

Kevin M. Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC, was hired by the Department Exercise and Sport Science in July 1995, and was appointed Department Chair in July 2005. Kevin heads up the sport concussion program at UNC, while also serving as the Director of the Sports Medicine Research Laboratory and Research Director for the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes.

Kevin's teaching responsibilities include Cadaver Anatomy, Therapeutic Modalities, Human Anatomy, and Research Methods & Statistics in Sports Medicine.

Kevin's research is focused on the assessment of sport-related concussion and the long-term effects of concussion. He has been the recipient of over 15 funded research grants on this topic, and has published over 45 journal articles and five textbook chapters related to concussion in sport. He serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Athletic Training, and is on the editorial boards of two other journals. Kevin was the recipient of the 1997 Kenneth Knight Outstanding Research Manuscript for the Journal of Athletic Training, the recipient of the 1999 NATA-Research & Education Foundation New Investigator Award for Athletic Training Research, and the 2006 Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research. He was awarded Fellowship in the American College of Sports Medicine in May 2003, and was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education in September 2006. He and his wife Amy have 4 children: Jacob, Nathan, Adam, and Tessa. (CV - 92.3 kb)

Darin A. Padua, PhD, ATC (dpadua@email.unc.edu)

Dr. Padua is the Associate Director of the SMRL and Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science where he serves as Director of the Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program. He is an adjunct faculty member in the Departments of Orthopaedics, Biomedical Engineering, and Allied Health Sciences. In addition, Dr. Padua serves as the Director of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Research Institute, whose mission is to provide scientifically valid, evidence-based assessments and interventions for the effective promotion of physical fitness, performance enhancement, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation conditioning.

Dr. Padua received his B.A. degree (Exercise and Nutritional Science, emphasis in Athletic Training) from San Diego State University (1996) and M.A. degree (Exercise and Sports Science emphasis in Athletic Training) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then proceeded to the University of Virginia and obtained his Doctoral Degree (PhD in Sports Medicine, 2001).

His primary research interests focus on neuromuscular control of knee and lumbo-pelvic stability, identification of risk factors associated with knee injury (focus on ACL injury), identification of evidence-based prevention strategies for ACL injury, and validation of performance enhancement training techniques. Current research includes investigating predictive factors for ACL injury, biomechanical comparison of ACL injury prevention interventions, examination of modifiable neuromuscular factors that contribute to knee valgus angle and anterior tibial shear force, validation of clinical movement assessment techniques to predict muscle imbalances and injury risk, and validation of corrective exercises commonly used for injury prevention and performance enhancement. (CV - 85k)

J. Troy Blackburn, PhD, ATC (troyb@email.unc.edu)

Troy Blackburn joined the Department of Exercise and Sport Science as an assistant professor in the fall of 2006. He currently serves as the director of the Motor Control Laboratory, and teaches courses in Research in Exercise and Sport Science (EXSS 273) and Neuromuscular Control and Learning (EXSS 380).

Dr. Blackburn received a B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science (Athletic Training Concentration) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1998), a M.S. in Sports Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh (2000), and a Ph.D. in Human Movement Science (Biomechanics Concentration) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2004).

Troy’s primary research interests lie in neural and biomechanical contributions to joint stability. His current focus is on the influences of series elastic musculotendinous stiffness on mechanical joint stability and neuromechanical function. These efforts are designed to evaluate the influence that lesser hamstring stiffness in females (compared to their male counterparts) has on the higher incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury noted in females.

Stephen W. Marshall, PhD (smarshall@unc.edu)

Stephen Marshall is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology in the UNC School of Public Health. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Orthopedics in the School of Medicine and is Core Faculty in the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center. Stephen completed his undergraduate studies in Mathematics at the University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand) in 1987. In 1989, he completed his Master's Degree in Biometrics and Field Experimentation at Lincoln University (Canterbury, New Zealand). He completed his PhD at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC) in 1998.

Dr Marshall works closely with Drs. Guskiewicz and Padua. He has expertise in epidemiologic studies of sports injury and in the statistical analysis of sports medicine data. His areas of research within sports medicine include baseball injury, injury surveillance, high school injury, concussion, ACL injury, and falls in older adults.

He has expertise in biostatistics, epidemiological methods, and epidemiologic data analysis. He consults with the NCAA on their Injury Surveillance System and is PI of the JUMP-ACL study, a prospective cohort study of neuromuscular risk factors for ACL injury. More information about Dr. Marshall, including a link to his CV, are available on his personal website hosted by the UNC School of Public Health. Dr. Marshall is director of the injury program within the Department of Epidemiology at UNC's School of Public Health. 

Joseph B. Myers, PhD, ATC (joemyers@email.unc.edu)

Joseph B. Myers, PhD, ATC is an Assistant Professor in Exercise and Sport Science. Dr. Myers received a B.S. and M.A. degrees in Athletic Training and Sports Medicine from West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1996) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1998), respectively. Dr. Myers received a Ph.D. in Sports Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh in 2001.

He is the author of more than 100 national and international research publications, scientific abstracts, and textbook chapters. Dr. Myers’ research over the past 10 years has focused on the assessment of shoulder dysfunction using neuromuscular and biomechanical measurement models. He presented his work at such prestigious meetings as the American Shoulder and Elbow Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, National Athletic Trainers’ Association, and Orthopaedic Research Society.

Dr. Myers was the 2005 recipient of the Freddie H. Fu, MD, Young Investigator Award presented by the National Athletic Trainers' Association Research and Education Foundation.

Michael D. Lewek, PT, PhD (mlewek@med.unc.edu)

Michael D. Lewek, PT, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences, Division of Physical Therapy at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also holds an adjunct position in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science.

Michael received his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Ithaca College (Ithaca, NY), a Masters in Physical Therapy and a PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science from the University of Delaware (Newark, DE). He has also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in neuromechanics at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago/Northwestern University (Chicago, IL).

Michael’s primary research involves improving functional mobility in individuals following stroke. Specifically, he is interested in how peripheral sensory input is integrated to influence motor commands during gait, and the specific role of muscle dysfunction on locomotion following neurological injury. Current projects involve an optimization of muscle activation during a sit-to-stand task and characterizing the role of limb load on muscle function during gait.

Meredith A. Petschauer, PhD, ATC (mbusby@email.unc.edu)

Meredith completed her undergraduate degree in 1993, at the College of Wooster (Wooster, OH). In 1996, she completed her Master's Degree at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC) in Athletic Training from the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. She received her PhD from the University of North Carolina (Greensboro, NC) in Biomechanics.

In addition to teaching Biomechanics and Athletic Training classes, she coordinates the clinical experience for the Undergraduate athletic training students and directs the honors program for the department. Her research interests include three-dimensional motion analysis of the head and cervical spine motion during immobilization following injury in lacrosse and ice hockey.

Meredith currently resides in Cary with her husband (Greg), her two children (Madison and Grant), her dog (Summit), who is kept company by her bird Willie.

William E. Prentice, PhD, PT, ATC (prentice@email.unc.edu)

William E. Prentice received both BS and MS degrees from the University of Delaware (Newark, DE), a PhD degree in Sports Medicine and Applied Physiology from the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA), and BSPT degree in Physical Therapy from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC). He is a Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science, a Clinical Professor in the Division of Physical Therapy, and has served as the Program Director of the NATA Accredited Graduate Athletic Training Education Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 1980.

Prentice is the author of eight textbooks, has published more than 50 journal articles and abstracts, and has made more than 150 lectures and presentations.

His research interests are functional performance enhancement and therapeutic modalities.

Steven M. Zinder, PhD, ATC (szinder@unc.edu)

Steve Zinder received his BS in 1990 in Physical Education from the University of Arizona, an MS in 1992 in Exercise and Sport Sciences with an emphasis in Athletic Training at the University of Arizona, and a PhD in 2002 in Sports Medicine at the University of Virginia. Following his PhD, Dr. Zinder spent one year as an Assistant Professor in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia teaching and conducting clinical research in the Sports Medicine and Athletic Training Program areas and four years as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Kinesiology and Health Science and Clinical Coordinator of the California State University, Fullerton Athletic Training Education Program.

Prior to obtaining his doctorate, he was the Associate Athletic Trainer at Bucknell University from 1992 to 1999. His primary research interests focus on in-vivo ankle system dynamics and their effect on ankle stability. Dr. Zinder is a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the International Society of Biomechanics.

Doctoral Students

David R. Bell, MEd, ATC, PES (bell@email.unc.edu)

David is a third year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. He graduated from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC) with a BA in Exercise and Sport Science (specialization in athletic training) in 2001. In 2002, he graduated from the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA) with a Master's Degree in Education, specializing in Athletic Training. He received $3,400 in funding from the NATA and Injury Prevention Research Center to pursue his research agenda. David was also named a NATA doctoral scholarship finalist in 2008 and also has received Mentoring Grants from the UNC Graduate School.

His research interests include the influence of hormonal fluctuations on muscle and connective tissue as well as ACL injury prevention. He is also validating the overhead squat as a tool for clinicians with the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Michelle C. Boling, MS, ATC (boling@email.unc.edu)

Michelle is a fourth year doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Interdisciplinary Human Movement Science Program. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002 with a B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science (concentration: athletic training). In 2004, she received her Masters degree from the University of Kentucky in Kinesiology and Health Promotion (concentration: athletic training).

Michelle is currently working on her dissertation entitled “A prospective investigation of biomechanical risk factors for anterior knee pain.” Her research interests include changes in movement patterns secondary to patellofemoral pain, exercise interventions for patients with patellofemoral pain, and risk factors for the development of patellofemoral pain.

Lindsay J. (Strickland) DiStefano, MA, ATC (ljs7@email.unc.edu)

Lindsay is a third year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. She graduated from Boston University with a BS in Athletic Training in 2003. In May 2005, she completed her graduate work in Exercise and Sport Science (with a specialization in Athletic Training) at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC).

Her research interests include ACL injury prevention in youth and adolescent soccer players.

She is a staff athletic trainer for the University of North Carolina gymnastics team.

Benjamin M. Goerger, MS, ATC (bgoerger@email.unc.edu)

Ben is a first year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. In 2005, he graduated from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC) with a B.A. in Exercise and Sports Science (Athletic Training concentration). In 2007, he received his M.S. in Sports Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA).

His research interests include lower extremity and trunk biomechanics and the role they play in injury prevention.

Shana Harrington, MPT, SCS (shanapt@nc.rr.com)

Shana is a third year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. She completed her B.A. in Physical Education, Exercise and Sport Science at UNC-CH in 1998, graduating with highest honors and distinction. In 2000, she completed her Master of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine, FL.

Shana's research interests include kinematic and muscle activation patterns in the upper extremity. More specifically in the active swimming population and in breast cancer survivors. She assists with the Jump-ACL project at West Point and the Get Real and Heel Program at UNC. In the spring, she plans to take her Sports Certification Specialist exam offered by the APTA as well as her Manual Therapy Certification exam.

Melanie L. McGrath, MS (mmcgrath20@hotmail.com)

Melanie is a third year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. She completed her undergraduate work in Athletic Training and Exercise Science at Linfield College (McMinnville, OR) in 2001. In 2005, she completed her M.S. in Exercise and Sport Science (Sport Psychology concentration) at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Greensboro, NC).

Melanie is a research assistant for the JUMP-ACL study. Her research interests include the prevention of ACL injuries and the recognition of risk factors associated with ACL and other lower extremity injuries. She is currently studying how muscular fatigue may play a role in ACL injury. She is also interested in movement variability and coordination, and how those variables may play a role in lower extremity injury.

Jason P. Mihalik, MS, CAT(C), ATC (jmihalik@unc.edu)

Jason is in his third year in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. He completed his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science with a specialization in Athletic Therapy at Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) in 2001. He completed his graduate work in Sports Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA), earning his Master's Degree in December 2004. He is a recipient of the Dr. Thomas S. and Mrs. Caroline H. Royster, Jr. fellowship.

His research interests include the neurocognitive and postural deficits associated with sports related mild traumatic brain injury, analyzing postural control strategies, investigating the sequellae associated with MTBI in athletes (i.e. postconcussion syndrome, posttraumatic migraine, etc.), and exploring the potential for concussion rehabilitation in virtual reality environments.

Johna Register-Mihalik, MA, ATC (johnakay@email.unc.edu)

Johna is a second year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. She graduated from The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) with a BS in Athletic training in 2004 and completed her graduate work in May 2006 with a MA in Exercise and Sports Science (Athletic Training Specialization) at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Her research interests include sports-related concussion; knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding management of sport-related concussion; neurocognitive deficits associated with mild traumatic brain injury; and headache in the athletic population. She is also interested in the epidemiology of injuries associated with baseball.

Marc F. Norcross, MA, ATC (norcross@email.unc.edu)

Marc is a first year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. He graduated from Boston University (Boston, MA) with a BS in Athletic Training in 2001. In 2003, he completed his MA in Exercise and Sport Science (with a specialization in Athletic Training) at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC). He then served as the staff athletic trainer for Men's Soccer and Track & Field at the University of California—Los Angeles from 2003-2007.

His research interests include biomechanics and neuromuscular control of the trunk and hip and the implications for prevention of lower extremity injury.

Sakiko Oyama, MS, ATC (oyamas@email.unc.edu)

Saki is a first year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Human Movement Science. She completed her undergraduate degree in Exercise and Sports Science at Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR) in 2004, and completed her Masters degree in Sports Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA) in 2006. Saki continued on to pursue her Doctoral degree at the University of Pittsburgh. She transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2007, after completing her first year of the doctoral program in Pittsburgh.

Her research interests include scapular kinematics in overhead athletes, sports specific adaptations in overhead athletes' shoulders, and biomechanics of baseball pitching injuries.

Luke Ross, BS, ATC (lukeross@email.unc.edu)

Luke is a second year graduate student in Exercise and Sport Science, specializing in Athletic Training. He completed his undergraduate degree at Boston University (Boston, MA) in May 2006.

His thesis will focus on sports-related concussion; specifically, evaluating the demands of a dual-task paradigm on healthy and head-injured individuals.

He is currently a graduate assistant athletic trainer with the football and crew varsity programs at UNC.

The research carried out in the SMRL would not be possible if it were not for the contribution of a large number of physicians, certified athletic trainers, physical therapists, and researchers.

UNC Sports Medicine Team Physicians:

• Dr. Tim Taft
• Dr. Alex Creighton (Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, UNC School of Medicine)
• Dr. Mario Ciocca
• Dr. Tom Brickner
• Dr. Kelly Waicus
• Dr. Gregory Tuttle

UNC Sports Medicine Athletic Training Staff:

• Daniel Hooker, PhD, PT, ATC (Associate Director of Sports Medicine)
• Marc Davis, PT, ATC (Men's basketball, Swimming and Diving)
• Nicole Fava, MA, ATC, CSCS (Women's soccer; Track & Field)
• Doug Halverson, MA, ATC, CSCS (Football, Women's Lacrosse)
• Chris Hirth, MS, ATC, PT, PES (Lecturer, EXSS; Men's Soccer)
• Kevin King, MA, ATC, CSCS (Football, cheerleading, fencing)
• C.B. Lehn, PT, ATC (Clinical Instructor)
• Sally Mays, MA, ATC, CSCS (Wrestling, Volleyball, and Tennis)
• Scott Oliaro, MS, ATC (Field Hockey; Women's Softball, M/W Golf)
• Terri Jo Rucinski, MA, ATC, PT, CSCS (Women's basketball, Men's baseball)
• Scott Trulock, MA, ATC (Football Head Athletic Trainer)
• Nina Walker, MA, ATC, CSCS (Men's Lacrosse, X-Country, and Crew)

UNC Faculty Collaborators:

• Frederick O. Mueller, PhD (Department of Exercise and Sport Science)
• Douglas Dirschl, MD (Chair & Professor, Dept of Orthopaedics)
• Carol Giuliani, PT, PhD (Professor, Division of Physical Therapy)
• Rick Segal, PT, PhD (Chair & Professor, Division of Physical Therapy)
• Bing Yu, PhD (Associate Professor, Division of Physical Therapy)
• Michael T. Gross, PT, PhD (Professor, Division of Physical Therapy)
• Keith Smith, MD, PhD (Associate Professor, Dept of Radiology)
• Weili Lin, PhD (Associate Professor, Neuroradiology)
• Selene G. Parekh, MD (Assistant Professor, Dept of Orthopaedics)

External Collaborators:

• Anthony Beutler, MD (Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences - Bethesda, MD)
• Robert Cantu, MD (Chief of Neurosurgery Service, Emerson Hospital - Concord, MA)
• Michael A. Clark, DPT, MS, PT, NASM-PES (President and Chief Executive Officer, National Academy of Sports Medicine)
• William Garrett Jr., MD, PhD (Professor of surgery, Department of Orthopedics, Duke School of Medicine - Durham, NC)
• Richard Greenwald, PhD (President & Co-Founder, Simbex LLC - Lebanon, NH)
• Spero Karas, MD (Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Sports Medicine, Emery University - Atlanta, GA)
• Michael McCrea, PhD (Head of Neuropsychological Services, Waukesha Memorial Hospital - Waukesha, WI)
• Scott Pyne, MD (United States Naval Academy)
• Alan Russell, MS, ATC, NASM-PES (Director, Health Sciences Institute, National Academy of Sports Medicine)
• John Tokish, MD (United States Air Force Academy)
• Nicholas Stergiou, PhD (University of Nebraska at Omaha)