Where are they now?

Featured Profile of McCaig Graduate Gregory Wohl

Summary:

I think the issue of how many years I was at the McCaig Centre verges on historical (as in, no other student has been there longer … I’m pretty sure). I was at the McCaig Centre from January 1992 to November 2002 (no joke). Dave Hart likes to say I got “tenure” … though he truly means “ten year”. In fact, I even did some summer work in 1990 with Dr. Shrive and Dr. Bray when it was known as the Joint Injury and Diseases Research Group. During the time of 1992-2002 I was with Ron Zernicke and my focus was on bone adaptation to mechanical loading and disease. - 1992-1994: research assistant for Dr. Zernicke - 1994-1996 – M Sc., Mechanical Engineering: “The effect of high- and low-fat diets on the mechanics and structure of mature bone.” - 1996-2002 – Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering: “Bone mechanics in transplanted osteochondral grafts.”

My first post-doctoral position (2002-2003) was in the lab of Hasan Uludag, PhD in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at University of Alberta where I studied the effects parathyroid hormone as a therapeutic for prevention of bone loss.

I then did a second post-doctoral position (2003-2007) with Matthew Silva, PhD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, where I learned molecular biology tools and studied the gene expression associated bone adaptation to fatigue injury and mechanical loading.

Since 2007, I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and member of the McMaster School of Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University. Here I am continuing my work in the area of musculoskeletal biomechanics with a focus on bone adaption. Mechanical loading is a powerful stimulus for bone; physical activity can help prevent age-related bone loss. I am interested in how bone cells interpret the mechanical signals to make new bone. I have also developed collaborations at McMaster University and in the Hamilton Health region with researchers in Health Sciences and Kinesiology. We are studying areas related to bone adaptation such as the interaction between muscle and bone in maintenance of bone health; the effects of diet, particularly high-fat, on bone adaptation; and the effect of drug therapies (e.g., bisphosphonates) on prevention of bone loss. I am also part of the Minimally Invasive Surgery group for the development of surgical robotics.

I really value the time I had at the McCaig Centre. Since leaving I have truly come to appreciate that it is a unique environment. Many groups strive for the “multidisciplinary approach” in which they look to develop productive collaboration between clinicians, life scientists and engineers. In my experience the best example of successful multidisciplinary research was at the McCaig Centre — during the time I had with the group the interdisciplinary interaction was a clear highlight. I also miss the Christmas parties – we had a great time at those parties.