I received my MSc (2005) and PhD (2009) in Biomechanics from the University of Waterloo.

Prior to joining Laurier, I was a postdoctoral fellow cross appointed in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California-San Diego.

My research is in the area of biomechanics, specifically musculoskeletal spine health and low back pain. Of particular interest is the intervertebral disc: the soft tissue between each of the vertebrae. These discs can become injured as a result of trauma, or gradually as a result of overuse, and the way in which they become damaged changes as we age. My main interests lie in understanding disc herniation and disc degeneration.

Using a tissue-based (in vitro) and human-based (in vivo) approach, my research address questions such as:

1. How does the spine become injured?
2. What specific things do we do that increase our risk?
3. How can we prevent or rehabilitate these injuries?

• John Charles Polanyi Prize for Physical and Medicine (2013).
• International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine Prize for Lumbar Spine Research (2011).

I have volunteer research positions in both my in vitro and in vivo labs for undergraduate students.

I am willing to supervise graduate students who are interested in spine biomechanics research. Contact me for more information.

• Dainty RS, Alcorn E, Ferguson CA, Gregory DE. “Prevalence of occupation-related pain among baristas and an examination of low back and shoulder demand during the preparation of espresso-based beverages.” Ergonomics. (2014).
• Gregory DE, Bae WC, Sah RL, Masuda K. “Disc degeneration reduces the delamination strength of the annulus fibrosus in the rabbit annular disc puncture model.” The Spine Journal. (2014).
• Jackson JA, Banerjee-Guénette P, Gregory DE, Callaghan JP. “Should we be more on the ball? The efficacy of accommodation training on lumbar spine posture, muscle activity, and perceived discomfort during stability ball sitting.” Human Factors. (2013).
• Gregory DE, Bae WC, Sah RL, Masuda K. “Anular delamination strength of human lumbar intervertebral disc.” European Spine Journal. (2012).
• Gregory DE, Callaghan JP. “Does vibration influence the initiation of intervertebral disc herniation? An examination of herniation occurrence using a porcine cervical disc model.” Spine (2011).

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