About Us
Principal Investigator
Silvia Blemker, Ph.D.
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Biomechanics Research
Dr. Blemker is from Lawrence, Kansas. She did her undergraduate and Master’s work in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University, and her PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University. She is broadly interested in muscle mechanics & physiology, multi-scale modeling, mentoring students, and teaching. Her hobbies include: spending time with family, organizing legos, jogging, hiking, reading, traveling, and tennis (at the very beginner level).
Postdoctoral Researchers
Emily McCain, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Whole Body Modeling
Emily completed her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State University in 2021 where she researched the consequences of neuromuscular and orthopedic impairments on walking performance. She is currently working toward the development of sex-specific musculoskeletal models to investigate how sex differences affect muscle function during movement. Outside of work, Emily enjoys spending time with her family, trying new restaurants around Charlottesville, camping, hiking, and watching the US women’s national soccer team play.
Graduate Students
Mario E. Garcia
Ph.D. Candidate
Muscle Architecture and Function
Mario completed a B.S. in Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering with a minor in Philosophy from the joint department at North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in May 2021. His research interests focus on modeling muscle architecture using a combination of imaging modalities. Outside of the lab, Mario enjoys reading, running with friends, and spending time with his two dogs
Yasmina Zeineddine
Ph.D. Student
Cell and Tissue Modeling
Yasmina graduated from VCU in 2022 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. In the M3 lab, she is researching how chronic disuse of skeletal muscles influences regeneration following injury through computational modeling. Outside of the lab, Yasmina enjoys reading, crocheting, playing pickleball, and cooking.
Kimberly Steininger
Ph.D. Student
Modeling Muscle Disease
Kimberly completed her B.S. in mechanical engineering and B.M. in flute performance at Boston University in January 2021. Her research interests include investigating muscle architectural changes and understanding how fat infiltration patterns influence the mechanics of muscle to better predict atrophy and disease progression. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys listening to and playing music, running, spending time outdoors, and watching Korean dramas.
Amanda Knizley
Ph.D. Student
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Amanda received her B.S. in Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering from the joint department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in May 2023. Her research focuses on using imaging and computational tools to visualize and analyze pelvic floor muscle dysfunction/injury in women. Outside of lab, Amanda enjoys sketching, singing/playing piano, and biking.
Research Scientists
Xiao Hu, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
OpenSim Modeling
Xiao completed his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. He is interested in using musculoskeletal modeling and simulation as a tool to understand how muscles are being used by our body to complete a variety of tasks and sports, and how this amazing ability is negatively affected by various musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. He likes watching movies, listening to music, playing ping-pong and spending time with his family.
Brendan Shea
Lab Specialist
Brendan completed a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2024. Currently, his work involves scheduling and assisting with data collection and analysis of ongoing research in the lab. Additionally, he functions as our Lab Ambassador the primary point of contact for undergraduates interested in research. Outside of lab Brendan enjoys juggling, singing, swimming, and watching UVA sports!
Undergraduates
Remy Brettell
Undergraduate Researcher
Remy is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Biomedical Engineering at UVA. He joined the M3 lab in the Fall of 2022. His research involves the usage of MRI scans and finite element modeling to study musculotendon dynamics and perform kinematic modeling of the ankle. His research will help to inform lower leg injury prevention and rehabilitation practices.
Quentin Shin
Undergraduate Researcher
Quentin Shin is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Biomedical Engineering with minors in Computer Science and Data Science at UVA. He joined the M3 lab during his second-year in the Fall of 2022. His research focuses on the collection of data and modeling of sex differences in the lower limbs at the joint level.
Lab Mascot
Mr. Bones
Mascot
Opportunities
Prospective Graduate Students
Prospective graduate students interested in joining our research group should apply to our BME graduate program here or contact Dr. Silvia Blemker.
Undergraduate Students
Reach out to our lab specialist if you're interested in joining or learning about our projects!