Diane Gregory
Areas of Expertise
- Kinesiology, Sports Science and Biomechanics
Biography
I received my MSc (2005) and PhD (2009) in Biomechanics from the University of Waterloo.
Prior to joining Laurier in 2011, I was a postdoctoral fellow cross appointed in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California-San Diego.
My research is in the area of biomechanics, specifically musculoskeletal spine health and low back pain. Of particular interest is the intervertebral disc: the soft tissue between each of the vertebrae. These discs can become injured as a result of trauma, or gradually as a result of overuse, and the way in which they become damaged changes as we age. My main interests lie in understanding disc herniation and disc degeneration.
Using a tissue-based (in vitro) and human-based (in vivo) approach, my research address questions such as:
- How does the spine become injured?
- What specific things do we do that increase our risk?
- How can we prevent or rehabilitate these injuries?