Postdoctoral fellowship, McKay Orthopaedic Research Lab, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2007
PhD, aerospace and mechanical engineering, University of Notre Dame, 2005
MSc, mechanical engineering, University of Notre Dame, 2003
BSc (Licentiate), mechanical engineering, Universidad Mayor de San Andres, Bolivia, 1999
The Spine Biomechanics Laboratory at Rush is dedicated primarily to the study of the motion and loading conditions of the human spine. Both cervical and lumbar spine are recurrent work topics as we develop new methodologies to link abnormal motion patterns and loads that are thought to be precursors for facet joints and intervertebral disc degeneration.
Our approach is based on a unique combination of novel musculoskeletal image data processing methods, human motion analysis and experimental biomechanics. The techniques and instrumentation developed in the laboratory have been applied successfully to both to research as well as implant testing studies.
Our expertise with the spine has also lead to studies in other joints such as the hip, knee and shoulder. Our collaborations with clinician researchers from Midwest Orthopedics at Rush have led us to develop experiments to assess joint instability and cartilage qualitative studies in vitro.
This leads into another major area of work which is the study of hip biomechanics in Femoroacetabular Impingement. This bony deformity is not well characterized and we are working on developing structure-function relationships both at the organ and subject level.
We are pioneering the use of 3-D printing (also called additive manufacturing) in an academic medical center not only for anatomical models but to create functional models to be used in biomechanics research.
Alejandro A. Espinoza Orias, PhD, received a licentiate degree in mechanical engineering degree from the Universidad Mayor de San Andres (La Paz, Bolivia) in addition to master’s and doctoral degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, Indiana). He later completed a postdoctoral fellowship in spine biomechanics at the McKay orthopedic research laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA). He is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center (Chicago). His research interests include joint biomechanics, the study of structure-function relationships in orthopedic materials and tissues and applications of 3-D printing in orthopedics.
Espinoza Orias is an active member of the Orthopaedic Research Society, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society for Testing and Materials International, and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, He conducts peer review on many orthopedic and biomechanics journals and is on the editorial board of PLoS One.
ORCID: 0000-0002-3792-515X
Dr. Espinoza Orías’ full publications list.
Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications
NIH NCCIH 1R01AT006692, PI: Inoue, Novel Analytical Tools for 3 Dimensional Imaging Studies on Spinal Manipulation
The study will provide powerful biomechanics-based tools for clinical studies to investigate the effectiveness of the spinal manipulation therapy.