About

Biomechanigg was founded in 1991 by the current Chief Science Officer: Dr. Benno M. Nigg. The CEO and owner of the company is Sandro Nigg. The rest of the team consists of an associate professor, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, technicians and visiting students. 

Ashna Ghanbari
Chief Research Officer

Dr. Ashna Ghanbari is the current Chief Research Officer of Biomechanigg. Her doctoral research focused on understanding the biomechanical mechanisms driving performance improvements in running with advanced footwear technology. Her background as a competitive tennis player and former member of the University of Calgary’s Tennis Team informs her scientific perspective and research interests. Her current work takes prospective and holistic approach to understanding running injury risk in females, with the goal of advancing knowledge that supports both performance and long-term health in athletes.

Robin Trama
Post-doctoral Research Associate

Robin Trama is a postdoctoral researcher at the Human Performance Lab, University of Calgary. He earned his PhD from University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 in 2021, with a thesis on the effects of sport activity and equipment on soft tissue vibrations. His current research investigates how sport equipment shapes performance from biomechanical and physiological perspectives, using a range of biomechanical and physiological instrumentation. Alongside his research, he founded Xplode Track 'N Train, a smartphone-based platform that brings lab-grade sprint testing to coaches and athletes outside the lab. Outside work, Robin plays soccer and enjoys climbing and hiking in the Canadian Rockies.

Jared Fletcher
Consultant

Dr. Jared Fletcher is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education at Mount Royal University and serves as a scientific consultant for Biomechanigg. He received his PhD in applied muscle physiology at the University of Calgary. His main research interests lie in examining the energetic implications of muscle-tendon interaction during running and walking as well as physiological methods to optimize performance in recreational and elite athletes.

Tao Liu
Consultant

Dr. Tao Liu completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University (China) with a focus on robot design. He obtained his PhD degree in biomechanics at the University of Alberta. His PhD research has centered on the use of biomechanical simulation and machine learning principles to investigate clinical conditions and design healthcare solutions that enhance human performance. His current research focuses on the development of algorithms to determine return-to-play readiness using wearable technology.

Alisha Parmar
Visiting Student

Alisha has completed a Bachelor of Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance at the University of Calgary. Her current work focuses on industry-driven projects and collecting biomechanics data to support evidence-based design. She is interested in the application of wearable technology and footwear testing to evaluate performance and injury risk.  She will be beginning her MSc. in Biomedical Engineering in the fall. 

Abigail Kyliuk
Visiting Student

Abigail is completing her BSc in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Digital Engineering at the University of Calgary. Her current research focuses on developing passive calibration methods for sensory insoles to monitor foot health and mobility during daily living. Other projects she has contributed to at the university include the design and fabrication of a wheelchair-adaptive hip abductor machine and exploratory work on a wearable seizure monitoring device targeting a wide range of seizure types.

Summer Chew
Visiting Student

Summer is completing her Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) at Queen’s University. Her current work focuses on identifying multidimensional injury risk factors in female runners using a prospective and holistic approach. As a long-time ballet dancer and teacher, her experience with the physical demands of training has driven her interest in understanding the complex factors that shape injury risk in athletes.

Bernice Cao
Visiting Student

Bernice is completing a BSc in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary. Her current work focuses on improving mobility analysis by creating algorithms to process wearable insole data. She is interested in working with technology that promotes quality of life, as well as innovations that improve the performance of athletes. In her free time, Bernice is a competitive sailor and coach.