MAE Seminar – Neuromechanical Modeling to Identify Targets for Improving Gait and Balance Function

Details

Dear Undergraduate and Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff,
You are invited! UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering’s Seminar Series
This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy some coffee, cookies, and captivating talks! These sessions feature amazing guest speakers, from academic trailblazers and industry movers to our very own faculty candidates showing off their expertise and fresh perspectives.
Come for the treats, stay for the engaging discussions, and connect with fellow MAE enthusiasts. Everyone is welcome!

Neuromechanical Modeling to Identify Targets for Improving Gait and Balance Function

August 26, 2025, at 12:50pm
Location: MAE-A 303

Dr. Jessica Allen
Assistant Professor
University of Florida
Dept. of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Abstract
Human movement is governed by complex interactions between the nervous system and body mechanics (i.e., neuromechanics!). These interactions are especially critical during walking, where stability and adaptability are required to navigate real-world environments. Unfortunately, impairments due to aging, injury, or disease can disrupt this neuromechanical control, contributing to mobility limitations and increased fall risk. In this talk, I will present our lab’s interdisciplinary approach to identifying targets for improving gait and balance function. We combine human subject experiments with both data-driven approaches (e.g., machine learning) and first-principles models (e.g., musculoskeletal simulation and optimization) to understand how different deficits in neuromuscular control give rise to altered movement dynamics. In addition, we use predictive modeling to estimate how individuals might respond to different rehabilitation strategies or assistive technologies. Through this work, we aim to identify novel interventional targets and to support individualized rehabilitation and assistive device design, providing guidance for clinical decision-making to improve mobility in daily life and reduce fall risk.

Biography
Dr. Jessica L. Allen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida, where she directs the Neuromechanics of Mobility Lab. Dr. Allen joined the University of Florida faculty in 2022 after five years as an Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at West Virginia University. She earned her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Following her doctoral studies, she completed postdoctoral training in Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology. Research in Dr. Allen’s lab has been supported by both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). She is also the recipient of prestigious funding including an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship, and an NSF CAREER award.

MAE Faculty Host: Malisa Sarntinoranont