Human Movement Performance Laboratory
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The Human Movement Performance Laboratory (HMP) focuses on biomechanical research through translational and collaborative science.
We aim to bring together experts from academia, industry, and the medical field to modernize clinical practices using the latest medical research and technology advancements. In partnership with UNTHSC, our mission, purpose, and vision are dedicated to enhancing the medical needs of the North Texas community and beyond. |
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Our Mission
- The HMP Lab is committed to studying how the human body moves and is impacted by development, disease, and injury throughout life.
- Our multidisciplinary team, includes engineers, physical therapists, psychologists, physicians, and basic scientists.
- We collaborate to explore the cognitive and neuro-musculoskeletal foundations of functional movement.
- To analyze abnormal movements and evaluate rehabilitation treatments, we employ cutting-edge technology, including motion capture systems, virtual environments, eye-tracking equipment, custom instrumentation, and computational modeling.
- Our ultimate aim is to improve the quality of life for individuals with developmental disorders, disabilities, injuries, or age-related functional changes.
Our Purpose
- To understand mechanisms underlying the functional differences in human movement
- To develop interventions to overcome the challenges of health conditions that are developmental, injury, illness, or age-related
- To offer the possibility of active, independent, and more productive lives through research, education, and clinical care
Our Vision
- Generate new knowledge and technology, and promote its effective use in the rehabilitation process.
Our History
- 2008 – HMP Lab opened with a generous gift from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation
- 2008 – Rita M. Patterson, Ph.D. was hired as the founding director
- Her background is in biomedical engineering, orthopedics, and upper extremity function
- Her background is in biomedical engineering, orthopedics, and upper extremity function
- 2009 – Nicoleta Bugnariu, PT, Ph.D. joined as permanent investigator
- Her expertise is in neuroscience and virtual reality
- Her expertise is in neuroscience and virtual reality
- 2009 – Acquired a virtual reality system (CAREN; MotekForcelink) as a start-up package
- Significant investment from the Physical Therapy Department in the School of Health Professions
- From that point, the vision of a core, inter-departmental, multidisciplinary, and inter-professional lab with shared governance of multiple principal investigators was implemented
- 2012 – Metin Yavuz, D.Eng, joined the lab
- A biomedical engineer who brings expertise in custom force plate instrumentation for the evaluation of diabetic foot ulcers
- 2013 – Haylie Miller, Ph.D., joined the lab
- An experimental psychologist with interests in visual and motor development in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related pediatric movement disorders
- Joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow and transitioned to a faculty and PI position
- 2014 – Evan Papa, DPT, Ph.D., joined the lab
- A Physical Therapist investigating how fatigue influences human performance in persons with Parkinson’s disease
- The HMP lab continues to grow, adding new staff, trainees, and collaborators to enrich the team’s expertise and the scope of work.
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