Third year Ph.D. Candidate Billy Clark has been awarded an NIH National Research Service Award (F31) from the National Institute on Aging for his proposal titled “The role of muscle dynamics in governing Achilles subtendon behavior across the lifespan.” Billy will be co-advised on the project by Dr. Silvia Blemker, a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia, and a mentoring committee spanning Engineering, Orthopedics, Geriatrics, and Exercise Science. Anticipated outcomes from his research will have immediate impact on our understanding of musculoskeletal mechanisms underlying age-related mobility impairment toward improving the health and welfare of our aging population. Moreover, his technological advancements in musculoskeletal imaging will revolutionize the use of in vivo ultrasound during functional locomotor behavior. More broadly, the knowledge gained from this study has the potential to accelerate the development of engineered tissues, regenerative medicine approaches and therapies, and orthopaedic surgical intervention.
Congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment!