Anatomy
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Brion Benninger, MD, MSc Professor of Medical Innovation, Technology and Research Professor of Clinical Anatomy Executive Director, Medical Anatomy Center COMP-Northwest bbenninger@westernu.edu |
Research Interests: Formal training and interests in Sports Medicine, Imaging Technology, Clinical Anatomy, Medical Technology Development, Innovative Medical Education, Hyperbaric Medicine, Surgical Specialty Research and Reverse Translational Research. Professor Benninger is known internationally as one of today’s most progressive medical educators and has been recognized as a distinguished innovator with his work and integration of emerging technologies. He invented and developed the Triple Feedback Technique resulting in simultaneous physical and imaging examination of a patient. He is an ambassador for medical student and residency research. He has mentored more then 100 students with over 200 research projects presented at national/international conferences receiving several awards. He has taught and worked in the medical field in several countries, which has provided him invaluable insight and experience regarding patient care and research. |
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Thierra Nalley, PhD Assistant Professor of Anatomy COMP-Pomona tnalley@westernu.edu |
Research Interests: My principal research interests focus on the biomechanics of primate locomotion, specifically the relationships among the vertebral column, skull, and the pectoral girdle. Using comparative morphology and locomotor modeling, my research investigates the evolution of bipedality in the human lineage, as well as the historical patterns of positional behavior in living and fossil apes. Other research interests include examining musculoskeletal plasticity in the vertebral column and how behavior and ontogeny influence adult morphologies at both the microscopic and gross levels. |
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Edie Sperling, PT, DPT Assistant Professor of Anatomy COMP-Northwest esperling@westernu.edu |
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Mathew Wedel, PhD Associate Professor of Anatomy COMP-Pomona mwedel@westernu.edu |
Research Interests: The two major threads of my research are the evolution of large size and long necks in sauropod dinosaurs, and the evolution of pneumatic (air-filled) bones in birds and other dinosaurs. I am also interested in the evolution and biogeography of dinosaurs in the Early Cretaceous Period in North America, and posture and function of the head and neck in living and fossil animals. Most of my work can be summarized by the question, “How much can we know about the soft tissue, appearance, and lifestyle of an animal based on its skeleton?” |
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Vicki Wedel, PhD Associate Professor of Anatomy COMP-Pomona vwedel@westernu.edu |
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