The work in this laboratory is focused on mechanisms underlying motor
coordination in mammalian systems. These mechanisms are to be found in the
structure and dynamic properties of the musculoskeletal system as well as in
the organization of neuronal circuits in the central nervous system. Our
work concerns the interactions between the musculoskeletal system and spinal
cord that give rise to normal and abnormal movement and posture, and in the
manner in which central pattern-generating networks are modified for
specific motor tasks. Our studies have applications in several movement
disorders, including spinal cord injury. The experimental approaches span a
number of levels, from mechanical studies of isolated muscle cells to
kinematic measurements of natural behavior in quadrupeds.