MAE 298 SEMINAR: Biomechanics of Rotator Cuff

Abstract: In this lecture, the biomechanical concepts behind current rotator cuff repair techniques and how they are evaluated from mechanical engineering perspective will be reviewed and discussed.

Bio: Thay Lee received his bachelor's degree in bioengineering from Revelle College at UC San Diego. He then obtained his master's degree in applied mechanics at UC San Diego. He received his doctorate in biomaterials from Gothenburg University in Sweden. Lee joined the Department of Veterans Affairs and faculty at UC Irvine in 1987 and established an Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory based at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. In addition to establishing a highly productive state-of-the art orthopaedic biomechanics research program, he consistently moved up the ranks at the both thee VA and UCI. In the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Lee held a rank of professor step VI and served as the vice chair for research and academic affairs at UCI. For the Department of Veterans Affairs, he was a senior research career scientist for the rehab R&D. Throughout his career, Lee has advised over 100 postdoctoral fellows, many developing into well-recognized leaders in orthopaedics and holding prominent positions in professional subspecialty societies, as well as at their academic institutions both nationally and internationally. Lee's primary contribution has been the development of research methods and models to biomechanically evaluate shoulder and other joints. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts and over 500 abstracts in orthopaedic biomechanics. He continues to lecture widely both nationally and internationally. Lee currently serves as director of research at the Congress Medical Foundation in Pasadena, CA.