Erik Giphart joined the Steadman-Hawkins Research Foundation staff in January of 2004 as an Intern and currently holds the position of Motion Analysis Laboratory Coordinator. His primary focus this year is on designing and building a second-in-the-world, high-speed biplane fluoroscopy system in the Biomechanics Research Laboratory. With this sophisticated x-ray system, which creates movies of moving bones, joint motion can be tracked with sub-millimeter accuracy. This allows for the measurement of ligament lengthening and perhaps even cartilage indentation during activities such as walking, running, and throwing a ball. Not only are these measurements currently unknown, they are critical in understanding ligament and cartilage function, their surgical reconstruction or repair, as well as their contribution to the development and progression of osteoarthritis. This project will open entirely new avenues of research for the Foundation, as well as greatly improve ongoing research projects.

Erik, a Dutch citizen, earned his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Delft University of Technology in 1994 with a focus on Computer Science and Information Theory. As part of his M.S. program he was required complete a three-month internship outside of the university. He found an internship at the NeuroMuscular Research Center (NMRC) in Boston and has been in the U.S. ever since. “You have to be flexible to take advantage of great opportunities. I was going to visit the U.S. for three months plus a vacation. That was 12 years ago.” In 2001 he received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Boston University after performing his dissertation work at the NMRC on postural control. After graduation, he created a Virtual Reality laboratory at Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, to study how perceptual deficits modify locomotion in patients who suffer from various diseases.

“I feel that with my new position I have essentially come full circle with my training. I almost completed my M.S. thesis in medical image processing in the Netherlands, but decided to stay and complete my thesis work at the NMRC in Boston, instead. This got me involved with human movement studies and biomechanics. After working with 3D VR environments for three years and furthering my skills in motion analysis, I found out about the great work the Biomechanics group does at the Foundation. With the advanced image processing, 3D modeling, as well as cutting edge biomechanics required to analyze the fluoroscopy data, I feel I have found my home.”

Applying his engineering skills to medical and orthopedic problems is very fulfilling for Erik and is inspired by his family. Erik’s mother, Johanna, suffers from post-polio syndrome, and she had her ankle fused many years ago. He clearly remembers her suffering after countless surgeries on her ankle and foot. Being able to understand her limitations and to give her some advice based on his current knowledge is satisfying for him. Erik’s sister, Anja, is an MD-MPH who has lived and worked in Africa for most of the past 14 years. After being the only Western doctor in small regional hospitals in Zambia and Mozambique, saving lives every day, she now lives in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, with her husband and adopted children, and works for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation to prevent transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child. Erik draws a lot of inspiration from his sister’s work.

Erik and his wife, Courtney, an architect for Morter Architects in Vail, moved to Courtney’s home state of Colorado in the summer of 2003 after deciding it was time to start a family. They currently live in Edwards with their two children. They enjoy skiing, hiking, and snow shoeing with their dog Brooke, and all other activities the mountains bring.