Lecturer
Overview
Taylor Dick is a Lecturer in The School of Biomedical Sciences. She was awarded her PhD in 2016 from Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada). Her PhD research, in partnership with the Concord Field Station at Harvard University, focused on developing an experimental and modelling framework to predict in vivo motor function using advanced image-driven Hill-type muscle models. Following this, she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University- The University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) where her research focused on understanding the muscle-level effects of wearable robotic exoskeletons, and developing imaging protocols to provide biological insight for designing robotic devices capable of navigating uneven and unpredictable terrain.
Taylor is particularly interested in the neuromuscular and biomechanical mechanisms that underlie healthy and diseased locomotor function. Her lab aims to develop new imaging technologies to assess muscle and tendon properties in vivo and then integrate these data into models and simulations in an effort to develop a theoretical framework for predicting motor function in healthy and diseased populations. Ultimately, her research aims to unveil the mechanisms of how muscles work in the body; how muscle-tendon properties and function adapt to external challenges such as size, age, and disease; and how wearable technologies or exoskeleton devices alter the function of musculoskeletal structures.
Research Impacts
The outcomes from my groups research will advance our understanding of neuromotor and musculoskeletal function to (1) augment healthy locomotor performance; (2) treat and prevent movement impairments that result from age, obesity, or neuromotor disease and (3) inform the design of biologically-inspired assistive wearable robotic devices.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Simon Fraser University
Publications
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Journal Article: Moving in complex environments: a biomechanical analysis of locomotion on inclined and narrow substrates
Clemente, Christofer J., Dick, Taylor J. M., Wheatley, Rebecca, Gaschk, Joshua, Nasir, Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul, Cameron, Skye F. and Wilson, Robbie S. (2019) Moving in complex environments: a biomechanical analysis of locomotion on inclined and narrow substrates. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 222 6: . doi:10.1242/jeb.189654
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Journal Article: Geometric models to explore mechanisms of dynamic shape change in skeletal muscle
Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2018) Geometric models to explore mechanisms of dynamic shape change in skeletal muscle. Royal Society Open Science, 5 5: . doi:10.1098/rsos.172371
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Journal Article: Does a two-element muscle model offer advantages when estimating ankle plantar flexor forces during human cycling?
Lai, Adrian K.M., Arnold, Allison S., Biewener, Andrew A., Dick, Taylor J.M. and Wakeling, James M. (2017) Does a two-element muscle model offer advantages when estimating ankle plantar flexor forces during human cycling?. Journal of Biomechanics, 68 6-13. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.12.018
Grants
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A step forward against ageing: novel wearable assistive devices to enhance mobility
(2019) UQ Early Career Researcher
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(2018) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
Supervision
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AN EXPERIMENTAL AND MODELLING FRAMEWORK TO EVALUATE NEUROMUSCULAR PERFORMANCE DURING CYCLICAL TASKS
Doctor Philosophy
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The ecology of trace metal contamination in native Australian mammals
Doctor Philosophy
Publications
Journal Article
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Clemente, Christofer J., Dick, Taylor J. M., Wheatley, Rebecca, Gaschk, Joshua, Nasir, Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul, Cameron, Skye F. and Wilson, Robbie S. (2019) Moving in complex environments: a biomechanical analysis of locomotion on inclined and narrow substrates. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 222 6: . doi:10.1242/jeb.189654
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Geometric models to explore mechanisms of dynamic shape change in skeletal muscle
Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2018) Geometric models to explore mechanisms of dynamic shape change in skeletal muscle. Royal Society Open Science, 5 5: . doi:10.1098/rsos.172371
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Lai, Adrian K.M., Arnold, Allison S., Biewener, Andrew A., Dick, Taylor J.M. and Wakeling, James M. (2017) Does a two-element muscle model offer advantages when estimating ankle plantar flexor forces during human cycling?. Journal of Biomechanics, 68 6-13. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.12.018
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Shifting gears: dynamic muscle shape changes and force-velocity behavior in the medial gastrocnemius
Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2017) Shifting gears: dynamic muscle shape changes and force-velocity behavior in the medial gastrocnemius. Journal of Applied Physiology, 123 6: 1433-1442. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01050.2016
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Dick, Taylor J. M., Biewener, Andrew A. and Wakeling, James M. (2017) Comparison of human gastrocnemius forces predicted by Hill-type muscle models and estimated from ultrasound images. Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 9: 1643-1653. doi:10.1242/jeb.154807
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Where have all the giants gone? How animals deal with the problem of size
Dick, Taylor J. M. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2017) Where have all the giants gone? How animals deal with the problem of size. PLoS Biology, 15 1: e2000473. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.2000473
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A peak detection method for identifying phase in physiological signals
Mitrou, Nicholas, Laurin, Alexandre, Dick, Taylor and Inskip, Jessica (2017) A peak detection method for identifying phase in physiological signals. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, 31 452-462. doi:10.1016/j.bspc.2016.07.001
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Quantifying Achilles tendon force in vivo from ultrasound images
Dick, Taylor J. M., Arnold, Allison S. and Wakeling, James M. (2016) Quantifying Achilles tendon force in vivo from ultrasound images. Journal of Biomechanics, 49 14: 3200-3207. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.07.036
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Passive muscle-tendon unit gearing is joint dependent in human medial gastrocnemius
Hodson-Tole, Emma F., Wakeling, James M. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2016) Passive muscle-tendon unit gearing is joint dependent in human medial gastrocnemius. Frontiers in Physiology, 7 95: . doi:10.3389/fphys.2016.00095
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Dick, Taylor J. M. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2016) How to build your dragon: scaling of muscle architecture from the world's smallest to the world's largest monitor lizard. Frontiers in Zoology, 13 8: . doi:10.1186/s12983-016-0141-5
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Lesser, I. A., Dick, T. J. M., Guenette, J. A., Hoogbruin, A., Mackey, D. C., Singer, J. and Lear, S. A. (2015) The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and abdominal adiposity in postmenopausal, physically inactive South Asian women. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2 783-787. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.09.007
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Structural and mechanical properties of the human Achilles tendon: sex and strength effects
Morrison, Sidney M., Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2015) Structural and mechanical properties of the human Achilles tendon: sex and strength effects. Journal of Biomechanics, 48 12: 3530-3533. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.06.009
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Olszewski, Katarzyna, Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2015) Achilles tendon moment arms: the importance of measuring at constant tendon load when using the tendon excursion method. Journal of Biomechanics, 48 6: 1206-1209. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.02.007
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Lesser, I. A., Dick, T., Gasevic, D., Mackey, D. C., Leipsic, J. A. and Lear, S. A. (2014) The association between physical activity and liver fat after five years of follow-up in a primary prevention multi-ethnic cohort. Preventive Medicine, 67 199-203. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.07.038
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Dick, Taylor J. M., Lesser, Iris A., Leipsic, Jonathon A., Mancini, G. B. John and Lear, Scott A. (2013) The effect of obesity on the association between liver fat and carotid atherosclerosis in a multi-ethnic cohort. Atherosclerosis, 226 1: 208-213. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.10.040
Conference Publication
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Scaling of muscle architecture: from world's smallest to world's largest Monitor lizard
Dick, T. J. M., Wakeling, J. M. and Clemente, C. J. (2016). Scaling of muscle architecture: from world's smallest to world's largest Monitor lizard. In: Annual Meeting of the Society-for-Integrative-and-Comparative-Biology (SICB), Portland, OR United States, (e277). 3-7 January 2016. doi:10.1093/icb/icw001
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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A step forward against ageing: novel wearable assistive devices to enhance mobility
(2019) UQ Early Career Researcher
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(2018) UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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AN EXPERIMENTAL AND MODELLING FRAMEWORK TO EVALUATE NEUROMUSCULAR PERFORMANCE DURING CYCLICAL TASKS
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
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The ecology of trace metal contamination in native Australian mammals
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
