Pietrosimone Lab Group
Brian Pietrosimone, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science
Adjunct Professor, Department of Orthopedics
Adjunct Professor, Department of Allied Health
Contact Information:
Email: brian@unc.edu
Twitter: @BPietrosimone
Dr. Pietrosimone’s research focuses on understanding the multifaceted development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis following knee injuries. He is particularly interested in developing multimodal treatment strategies to prevent posttraumatic osteoarthritis in those who have sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1-UxabBDh5oAg/bibliography/public/
Previous Education
Ph.D., University of Virginia, 2009
M.Ed., University of Virginia, 2006
B.S., Springfield College, 2005
Awards and Honors
Mid-Career Award. Biomechanics Interest Group. American College of Sports Medicine. 2022
Freddie Fu New Investigator Award. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation. 2015
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 2015
Lab Video: https://www.unc.edu/discover/stopping-arthritis-before-it-starts/
The Team
Natalia Favoreto, MS, CCRC
Research Program Manager
Education:
B.S. East Carolina University, 2012
M.S. East Carolina University, 2015
Contact Information:
Email: favoreto@med.unc.edu
Natalia is a research program manager responsible for overseeing multiple longitudinal studies that seek to understand the development of post-traumatic knee arthritis. Natalia assists with research study design, implementation and evaluation including regulatory document development and maintenance, coordination of patient recruitment and retention as well as managing various aspects of the studies. She has more than 10 years of clinical research experience and is well-versed in various aspects of clinical trial recruitment and operations. The outcomes of her work will contribute to the advancement of new treatment strategies to lower the risk of posttraumatic osteoarthritis and improve outcomes following knee injuries.
Post-Doctoral Research Associates
Katherine Collins
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Educational Background:
B.S. Pennsylvania State University, 2014
M.S. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2017
Ph.D. Michigan State University, 2023
Contact Information:
Email: kcolli@unc.edu
Twitter: @kathcollin
Katie is a postdoctoral research associate with primary research interests in investigating and improving lower extremity walking biomechanics and physical activity engagement following ACL injury and ACLR. Currently, Katie is interested in gait re-training programs that can be delivered in and out of the laboratory environment.
PubMed Link: Katie Collins
Hyunwook Lee, Ph.D, ATC
Educational Background:
B.S. Kyung Hee University, 2016
M.S. Bridgewater State University, 2018
M.S. & Ph.D. Brigham Young University, 2023
Contact Information:
Email: hyunl@unc.edu
Hyun’s primary research interests are to understand potential relationships between gait biomechanics and knee joint cartilage health in individuals with ACLR. He is further interested in how researchers and clinicians manipulate/improve biomechanical characteristics to prevent the onset or progression of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hyunwook-Lee-3/research
Doctoral Students
Elizabeth Bjornsen, M.S.
3rd Year Doctoral Student
Education:
B.S. Taylor University, 2019
M.S. University of Arkansas, 2020
Contact Information:
Email: ebjornse@unc.email.edu
Elizabeth’s current research interests are to understand the gait biomechanical changes that occur after ACL injury and reconstruction, with the ultimate goal of reducing risk of early osteoarthritis development. Elizabeth also has a special interest in the pediatric ACL patient population.
PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/elizabeth.bjornsen.1/bibliography/public/
Ashley Buck, M.S.
1st Year Doctoral Student
Education:
B.S. Pepperdine University, 2020
M.S. Seattle University, 2022
Contact Information:
Email: anbuck@unc.edu
Twitter: @Ashley__Buck
My primary research interests are in exploring the impacts of ACL injury on knee biomechanics and biochemistry to further understand the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. I have also worked with the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA) in exploring the nutritional and educational needs of individuals with osteoarthritis to improve disease management.
PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/10WWtmkoBpjgcI/bibliography/public/
Chrisitn Buttner, M.S.
PhD Visiting Scholar
Education:
B.S. Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany, 2015
M.S. Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany, 2017
Christin is a visiting PhD from Germany. Her research focuses on the impact of daily movement and physical activity on knee joint health after ACL injury. She is especially interested in changes of daily knee loading and its relationship to the onset of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. With her research, she hopes to contribute to the establishment of adequate daily loading doses to prevent the onset of post-traumatic osteoarthritis after ACL injury.
Research Staff and Affiliates
Abby Pitcairn
Research Assistant
Education:
B.S. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2022
Contact Information:
Email: pitcairn@live.unc.edu
During her undergraduate degree, Abby was a member of the UNC Field Hockey Team, which has contributed to her interest in Sports Medicine Research. Prior to working in the lab, Abby was working in the Marsico Lung Institute as a research technician focusing on respiratory illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis. Abby is in the process of applying to medical schools for the 2024 cycle.
Daniel O’Connell
Medical Student Research Assistant
Education:
B.S. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018
Contact Information:
Email: daniel_oconnell@med.unc.edu
Year: School of Medicine class of 2024. Daniel’s research interests include Sports medicine, ACL reconstruction, osteoarthritis, surgical cost efficiency.
Madison Franek
Clinical Research Advisor
Education:
B.S. University of South Florida, 2015
D.PT. Duke University, 2018
CSOMT. Institute for Athlete Regeneration, 2020
Contact Information:
Email: Madison.Franek@unchealth.unc.edu
As an orthopedic and sports physical therapist, Madi’s primary clinical interests include the management of traumatic and non-traumatic knee injuries with a specific interest in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. As a clinical research advisor to the Pietrosimone Lab Group, his research interest includes better understanding the complex relationship between isolated capacity and task ability. In an attempt to optimize one’s quality of life after having sustained a traumatic knee injury, such as an ACL tear, better understanding this complex interplay may help minimize the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and may better restore individuals to optimal levels of performance whether that be a return to everyday or sports-related activities.
Undergraduate Volunteer Research Assistants:
Olivia Sallis
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Year: Junior
Major: : Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Chemistry and Spanish for the Health Professions
Research Interests: Olivia is an undergraduate research assistant in the Pietrosimone Lab Group majoring in Exercise and Sport Science and minoring in Sports Medicine and Spanish for the Health Professions. She is interested in how load shifting after ACL repair affects the risk of developing osteoarthritis, and if there is a way to prevent its development through gait intervention. She plans to apply to medical school after graduation to pursue a career in Orthopedic Surgery.
Winter Earnhardt
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Year: Junior
Major: Exercise and Sport Science B.A., minor Medicine, Literature, and Culture
Research Interests: Winter works as an undergraduate research assistant in the Pietrosimone Lab Group studying ACL gait retraining post reconstruction. She plans to attend PT school after graduation and hopes to apply her research here into future clinical practices.
Dan Geinosky
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Year: Junior
Major: Exercise and Sport Science B.A, History Minor, Coaching Education Minor
Research Interests: Dan is an undergraduate research assistant who is majoring in Exercise and Sport Science. He is interested in the biomechanics of the knee during gait after ACL reconstruction. He is looking to pursue physical therapy school upon graduation and hopes to apply the knowledge he has gained here to a clinical PT setting.
Grace Vallone
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Year: Sophomore
Major: Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Chemistry
Research Interests: Grace is an undergraduate research assistant who is majoring in Exercise and Sport Science. She played sports growing up and had many injuries, which sparked her interest in sports medicine and research. Grace helped with the ACL TarHeal study her freshman year. She really enjoyed collecting data and learning how to process it. Her goal is to go to medical school, and she hopes to apply the knowledge learned while being a research assistant into the medical professions.
Kelly Yang
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biomedical Engineering B.A, Exercise and Sports Science minor
Research Interests: Kelly has been an undergraduate research assistant in the Pietrosimone Lab since Spring 2023. She became interested in knee biomechanics after tearing her ACL and plans to focus further on rehabilitation engineering during her undergraduate time. She plans on going into the industry after graduating.
Claire Heetderks
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Year: JSophomore
Major: Exercise and Sports Science B.A., Medical Anthropology B.A.
Research Interests: Claire works as an undergraduate research assistant in the Pietrosimone Lab Group studying ACL gait retraining post reconstruction. Her primary research interest is analyzing gait biomechanics of the lower extremities and their relationship to the onset of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Claire plans to attend PA school after graduation and hopes to apply the knowledge she has learned in future clinical practices.
Lab Group Alumni
Brittney Luc-Harkey PhD, Clinical Research Manager, Neurological Clinical Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital. Graduated 2017.
Matthew Harkey PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University. Graduated 2017.
Kyle Wallace, Medical Student, Georgetown University School of Medicine. Former Research Technician. Graduated 2019.
Hope Davis-Wilson PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Interdisciplinary Movement Science Lab, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Graduated 2020.
Steven Pfeiffer PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Applied Health and Wellness, Ohio University. Graduated 2020.
Alyssa Evans-Pickett PhD. Graduated 2022.
Current Grant Funding & Research Projects
Biomechanical Changes Following ACL Injury that Influence the Development of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis (Principal Investigator), Awarded by the Arthritis Foundation. 2020-2023
Establishing a FastOA-Focused Cohort Following Revision ACL Reconstruction (Principal Investigator), Awarded by the Arthritis Foundation. 2022-2024
Quadriceps Muscle Quality: A Post-Injury Determinant of Knee Function and Health (Principal Investigator), Awarded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). 2023-2025
Gait Rehabilitation to Treat FastOA (Principal Investigator), Awarded by the Arthritis Foundation. 2023-2026
UNC-Chapel Hill Biomechanics and Functional Outcomes Core (Principal Investigator), Awarded by the Arthritis Foundation. 2023-2028
MRI: Acquisition of a High-Speed Biplanar Fluoroscopy System for Non-Invasive
Quantitative Imaging of Human Movement (Co-Principal Investigator), Awarded by National Science Foundation. 2022-2024
UNC-Chapel Hill collaborative CRU for musculoskeletal health (Co-Principal Investigator), Awarded by the Arthritis Foundation. 2022-2024
PACE: Pediatric ACL Combined Evaluation of Biomechanics and Neurocognition (Co-Principal Investigator), Awarded by the American College of Sports Medicine Foundation. 2022-2024
Studies in Data Analysis
Limb Underloading post ACL Reconstruction and Increased Cartilage Strain: Identifying Biomechanics Phenotypes at Risk for Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis and the Potential for Precision Gait Retraining in Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis Prevention (Principal Investigator), Awarded by Thurston Arthritis Research Center. 2021-2023
Development of a Portable Gait Biofeedback System for Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Conditions (Principal Investigator), Awarded by Eshelman Innovation Institute. 2021-2023
Effect of ZILRETTA Injection on neuromuscular function, gait biomechanics and physical performance (Principal Investigator), Investigator Initiated Clinical Study Grant Awarded by Flexion Therapeutics. 2020-2023
Effect of Knee Bracing on Improving Pain & Disability, Physical Performance, Physical Activity and Femoral Cartilage Deformation in Individuals with Medial Compartment Knee Osteoarthritis (Principal Investigator), Awarded by American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association. 2018-2020
In Vivo Manipulation of Mechanical Loading: Using Real-Time Biofeedback to Strategically Understand the Acute Biomechanical, Biochemical and Structural Changes induced by Lower Extremity Joint Loading (Co-Principal Investigator), Awarded by National Institutes of Health. 2020-2023
Effect of Skeletal Maturity on Biomarkers for Post- traumatic OA after ACL Injury (Co-Principal Investigator), Awarded by North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute. 2020-2022