Biomechanics & Biomedical Engineering

A male participant performs a controlled soccer header in a lab, wearing an EEG cap and custom mouthguard to track brain activity and head movement, while two researchers observe in the background.

Soccer headers briefly slow brain activity, study shows

Using the head to pass, shoot or clear a ball is routine in soccer and does not typically lead to concussions. However, a new study from the University of B.C. reveals that even mild heading has some measurable effects on the brain. The study revealed that impacts from heading the ball are followed by a momentary slowing of brain activity, producing brain waves that are more typically associated with sleep and drowsiness.

Media Mention: Washington Post speaks to Dr. Lyndia Wu on brain impact of heading the ball in soccer

Media Mention: Washington Post speaks to Dr. Lyndia Wu on brain impact of heading the ball in soccer

WASHINGTON POST: “A number of studies suggest that the powerful forces involved in heading a ball may lead to thinking and memory problems, and possibly dementia” “Astronauts during rocket launch may experience a few g’s of acceleration,” said Lyndia Wu, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of British Columbia who led the […]

NSERC CREATE funding awarded for Care Anywhere project

NSERC CREATE funding awarded for Care Anywhere project

Congratulations to Dr. Antony Hodgson and his collaborators on receiving NSERC CREATE funding for Care Anywhere: Smart Biosensors to Promote Healthy Aging and Transform Healthcare. This project will train the next generation of multidisciplinary researchers, developers and clinicians to develop and make the best use of biosensors – anywhere from the hospital to everyday life. […]

SimPL Lab’s computer algorithm tracks head impacts in sport

SimPL Lab’s computer algorithm tracks head impacts in sport

VGH Research Institute: “Sport-related head injury is a significant health concern that can lead to harmful effects down the line, such as permanent brain injury. Research led by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher Dr. Lyndia Wu and Ahmad Rezaei used a novel computer vision algorithm to create a head injury baseline that could help […]

Research collaboration on cancer therapy receives CIHR Project Grant

Research collaboration on cancer therapy receives CIHR Project Grant

Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Hongshen Ma and the School of Biomedical Engineering’s Professor Megan Levings have received a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant to support their research collaboration on chimeric antigen receptor cell therapies used to treat cancer. The purpose of the CIHR Project Grant Program is to “contribute to the creation […]

A person wearing gloves places a sample in a microwell plate

New “See-N-Seq” technology enables RNA sequencing of specific single cells identified using microscopy

The Multi Scale Design Laboratory (MDL) lead by Professor Hongshen Ma has recently published a new paper, “See-N-Seq: RNA sequencing of target single cells identified by microscopy via micropatterning of hydrogel porosity”. MDL researchers have developed a new method, “See-N-Seq,” that uses a micropatterned hydrogel to capture target cells for single cell RNA sequencing. This […]