Professor Roozbeh Naemi

Professor In Biomechanics

School of Health, Science and Wellbeing

I have made seminal contributions to generating knowledge in the area of biomechanics since joining the University in 2009. I have contributed to several research programmes and have led a number of research projects funded under FP7, Horizon 2020 and Innovate UK. Through these projects I have developed a network of International collaborators and currently supervise several early career researchers. Combined with my work in conjunction with the industry and the number of IPs that I holds, I have played a crucial role in establishing the Centre for Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Technology at the University. I lead the Professional Doctorate in Healthcare Sciences, an award within the School of Life Sciences and Education. As a Chartered Engineer and Scientist, I am involved with the relevant professional societies, serve in the editorial panel of international journals and act as an expert reviewer for national and international funding bodies.

Professional memberships and activities

  • Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA) - UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) - Recognition number PR080173, Since Jan 2015

  • Chartered Engineer (CEng) through Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Membership Number 80183579, Since Feb 2013

  • Chartered Scientist (CSci) through Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) Membership Number IPEM 108229220, Since March 2019

  • ISB (International Society of Biomechanics) Membership No: 3716

  • FBG (Footwear Biomechanics Group)

  • iFab (International Foot and Ankle Biomechanics Community)

  • ESB (European Society of Biomechanics)

Academic qualifications

  • PhD, Biomechanics, University of Edinburgh, 2007

  • MSc, Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 2000

  • BSc, Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran, 1998

Expertise

Biomechanics, Physiological measurements, Medical technology, Biomedical engineering, Healthcare technologies.

Research interests

My main research over the past 10 years have had a focus on the mechanics of the foot-ground interaction with specific interest in diabetic foot disease. I have developed methods for assessment of the mechanical behaviour of plantar soft tissue with implications in identifying the risk of mechanical trauma to the foot. My current research has a focus on the development of clinically viable tests to improve the prognosis of diabetic foot disease.

Enterprise and commercial interests

  • Shear Sole, Naemi, Roozbeh, Nachiappan Chockalingam, and Panagiotis Chatzistergos. 'Improvements in or relating to footwear.' U.S. Patent Application No. 15/127,020.

  • Visco-truf, Naemi, Roozbeh, Nachiappan Chockalingam, Panagiotis Chatzistergos, and Aoife Healy. 'Articles for foot care.' U.S. Patent Application 15/578,944, filed June 21, 2018.

  • Plantar Soft Tissue Assessment Technique, Chatzistergos, P., Naemi, R., & Chockalingam, N. (2018). U.S. Patent Application No. 15/569,686.

  • Customised Support Structure, Deformable Support Structure, PCT/ 5170/4243PGB, Filed 20.12.2017

Teaching

Module Leader

  1. Doctoral Research Thesis and Viva (240 Credits), Professional Doctorate in Healthcare Science

  2. Tissue Stress (15 Credits), MSc Clinical Biomechanics

  3. Mechanics of the Diabetic Foot (30 Credits), MSc Clinical Biomechanics

  4. Sports Biomechanics and Injury (15 Credits), MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Science

Principal Supervisor

  1. Gayathri Balasubramanian, Start Date, Jan 2018, Full Time
    PhD thesis Title: Development of ulceration risk model using plantar soft tissue assessment.

  2. David Allan, Start date; Sep 2015, Part time
    PhD thesis title: Foot biomechanics in diabetic patients: A quantitative diagnostic approach.

  3. Hayley Preece, Start Date; Oct 2015, Part time
    PhD Thesis title: Effects of Maturation on the Fitness Characteristics of Adolescent Netball Players

  4. Michael Lawson, Start Date; Nov 2015, Part time
    PhD thesis title: Quantifying biomechanical loading in football utilising combined GPS- accelerometer technology

Publications

Selected Papers from Referred Articles in Academic Journals since 2014

  1. Naemi, R., Chockalingam, N., Lutale, J. K., & Abbas, Z. G. (2019). Can a combination of lifestyle and clinical characteristics explain the presence of foot ulcer in patients with diabetes?. Journal of Diabetes and its Complications. In Press https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056872718306743?via%3Dihub

  2. Behforootan, S. Chatzistergos, P.E., Chockalingam, N., Healy, A., Naemi, R. (2019). Localised pressure stimulation using turf‐like structures can improve skin perfusion in the foot. Accepted for publication in Micro circulation, in https://doi.org/10.1111/micc.12543

  3. Chatzistergos, P. E., Healy, A., Naemi, R., Sundar, L., Ramachandran, A., & Chockalingam, N. (2019). The relationship between hallux grip force and balance in people with diabetes. Gait & Posture. 70: 109-115.

  4. Healy, A., Naemi, R., Sundar, L., Chatzistergos, P., Ramachandran, A., & Chockalingam, N. (2018). Hallux plantar flexor strength in people with diabetic neuropathy: Validation of a simple clinical test. Diabetes research and clinical practice, 144, 1-9.

  5. Chatzistergos, P. E., Behforootan, S., Allan, D., Naemi, R., & Chockalingam, N. (2018). Shear wave elastography can assess the in-vivo nonlinear mechanical behavior of heel-pad. Journal of biomechanics.

  6. Naemi, R., Chatzistergos, P., Suresh, S., Sundar, L., Chockalingam, N., & Ramachandran, A. (2017). Can plantar soft tissue mechanics enhance prognosis of diabetic foot ulcer?. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 126, 182-191.

  7. Behforootan, S. Chatzistergos, P.E., Chockalingam, N., Naemi, R. (2017). A simulation of the viscoelastic behaviour of heel pad during weight-bearing activities of daily living Annals of Biomedical Engineering, (In Press).

  8. Chatzistergos, P. E., Naemi, R., Healy, A., Gerth, P., & Chockalingam, N. (2017). Subject Specific Optimisation of the Stiffness of Footwear Material for Maximum Plantar Pressure Reduction. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 1-12.

  9. Behforootan, S., Chatzistergos, P., Naemi, R., & Chockalingam, N. (2017). Finite element modelling of the foot for clinical application: A systematic review. Medical Engineering & Physics, 39, 1-11.

  10. Behforootan, S., Chatzistergos, P. E., Chockalingam, N., & Naemi, R. (2017). A clinically applicable non-invasive method to quantitatively assess the visco-hyperelastic properties of human heel pad, implications for assessing the risk of mechanical trauma. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 68, 287-295.

  11. Błażkiewicz, M., Wiszomirska, I., Kaczmarczyk, K., Naemi, R., & Wit, A. (2017). Inter-individual similarities and variations in muscle forces acting on the ankle joint during gait. Gait & Posture, 58, 166-170.

  12. Hill M, Naemi R, Branthwaite H, Chockalingam, N. (2017). The relationship between arch height and foot length: Implications for size grading, Applied Ergonomics, pp. 243-250 DOI:10.1016/j.apergo.2016.08.012

  13. Naemi, R, Chatzistergos, P. E., Sundar, L., Chockalingam, N. & Ramachandran, A., (2016). Differences in the mechanical characteristics of plantar soft tissue between ulcerated and non-ulcerated foot. Journal of Diabetes and Its complications. 30, 1293-1299

  14. Naemi, R., Chatzistergos, P. E., & Chockalingam, N. (2016). A mathematical method for quantifying in vivo mechanical behaviour of heel pad under dynamic load. Medical & biological engineering & computing, 54(2-3), 341-350.

  15. Naemi R, Linyard-tough K, Healy A, & Chockalingam N. (2015). The influence of slow recovery insole on plantar pressure and contact area during walking. Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology 15.02 (2015): 1540005., DOI: 10.1142/S0219519415400059.

  16. Chatzistergos, P. E., Naemi, R., & Chockalingam, N. (2015). A method for subject-specific modelling and optimisation of the cushioning properties of insole materials used in diabetic footwear. Medical Engineering & Physics 37(6), 531-538.

  17. Needham R, Naemi R, Healy A and Chockalingam N (2015) Multi-segment kinematic model to assess three dimensional movement of the spine and back during gait. in press. Prosthetics & Orthotics International, doi: 10.1177/0309364615579319.

  18. Needham, R. A., Naemi, R., & Chockalingam, N. (2015). A new coordination pattern classification to assess gait kinematics when utilising a modified vector coding technique. Journal of biomechanics, 48(12), 3506-3511.

  19. Blazkiewicz M, Sundar L, Healy A, Ramachandran A, Chockalingam N and Naemi R. (2015). Assessment of lower leg muscle force distribution during isometric ankle dorsi and plantar flexion in patients with diabetes: a preliminary investigation. Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications. 29 (2): 282-287.

  20. Chatzistergos, P. E., Naemi, R., Sundar, L., Ramachandran, A., & Chockalingam, N. (2014). The relationship between the mechanical properties of heel-pad and common clinical measures associated with foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. Journal of diabetes and its complications, 28 (4):488-493.

  21. Healy A, Naemi, R., & Chockalingam N. (2014). The effectiveness of footwear and other removable off-loading devices in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers or the alteration of biomechanical factors associated with ulcer healing: a systematic review. Current Diabetes Reviews, 10(4):215-230.

  22. Chatzistergos, P. E., Naemi, R., & Chockalingam, N. (2014). An MRI compatible loading device for the reconstruction of clinically relevant plantar pressure distributions and loading scenarios of the forefoot. Medical engineering & physics, 36(9), 1205-1211.

  23. Needham R, Chockalingam N, & Naemi R. (2014). Quantifying lumbar-pelvis coordination during gait using a modified vector coding technique. Journal of Biomechanics 47, 1020-1026.

  24. Deshpande R, Elagiri Ramalingam R, Chockalingam N and Naemi R (2014). 3D Reconstruction for 2D Spinal Ultrasound Imaging: An Overview, International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, 9(12):1829-1840.

in the UK for Quality Education

Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021