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.
Sandro Nigg
Owner and Chief Executive Officer
Sandro is the CEO and current owner of Biomechanigg. Sandro has over 20 years of experience in operations, project management, client management, business development, as well as designing and executing qualitative and quantitative research projects. Sandro was the event director for the 2019 ISB/ASB Congress and Footwear Biomechanics Symposium.
Benno Nigg
Founder and Chief Science Officer
Dr. Nigg is the founder and chief science officer of Biomechanigg. He has a doctorate in natural sciences (Physics) from the ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Dr. Nigg also founded the Human Performance Laboratory. He is the author of more than 350 scientific publications and the recipient of many awards (e.g. Olympic Order, Alberta Science and Technology Award, Muybridge Medal of the ISB.) and elected member of three Scientific Academies.
Ashna Ghanbari
Chief Research Officer
Dr. Ashna Ghanbari is the current Chief Research Officer of Biomechanigg. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Biomechanics at the University of Calgary, where her research examined the effects of shoe uppers on performance during lateral movements. She then began a Master’s program in Biomechanics at the University of Calgary before transferring directly into the PhD program. 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 a 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.
Matthew Ruder
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Dr. Matthew Ruder obtained his BSc in Biomedical Engineering from Saint Louis University and MSc in Biomedical Engineering from University of California-Davis. He then worked as a laboratory engineer at the Spaulding National Running Center in Boston, MA, followed by senior research engineer at Henry Ford Health System’s Bone and Joint Center in Detroit, MI. He completed his PhD in Kinesiology at McMaster University, investigating how in-lab gait from motion capture and free-living gait from wearable sensors relate to each other in a clinical knee osteoarthritis population. Now a postdoctoral associate with Biomechanigg, Matthew is interested in applying machine learning algorithms to extend biomechanics research outside of the laboratory to improve footwear fit and performance.
Hanna Musnicka
Master’s Student
Hanna completed her BSc in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary. Her current work focuses on researching running injury risk in female athletes, using a prospective and holistic study approach. She is particularly interested in studying changes in joint laxity over the menstrual cycle to better understand its influence on injury risk.
Arianna Hu
Visiting Student
Arianna is completing her BSc in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary. Her current work focuses on modeling the teeter-totter effect using computational methods and finite element analysis. At the university, she has also contributed to projects including the design and assembly of a custom kneeling frame for a child with cerebral palsy and the development of an aerodynamic package for UCalgary Racing.
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.
Juliana Heinz-Cyr
Operations and Office Administration
Juliana has been with Biomechanigg for over two years, and obtained her B.A. at the University of Calgary. She is responsible for the operational and administrative activities of Biomechanigg. With many years of experience in project and resource management, together with an affinity for keeping things organized, she is able to provide support to the team in all areas.