McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory > Soslowsky Lab > Joseph J. Sarver, Ph.D.

Joseph J. Sarver, Ph.D.

Senior Research Investigator
University of Pennsylvania

HOMETOWN
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

EDUCATION
Post-Doctorate, School of Medicine, 2003, University of Pennsylvania
Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 2001, Drexel University
M.S. Biomedical Engineering, 1997, Drexel University
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1994, Purdue University

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Neuromuscular adaptation to changes in the myo-mechanical environment

PUBLICATIONS

1. Sarver JJ; Elliott DM; "Differences between lumbar and caudal disc mechanics in the mouse.", Journal of Orthopaedic Research, in review.
2. Elliott DM; Sarver JJ; "Validation of the mouse and rat disc as mechanical models of the human lumbar disc." Spine, in press.
3. Sarver JJ; Robinson PR; Elliott DM; "Methods for quasi-linear viscoelastic modeling of soft tissue: application to incremental stress-relaxation experiments." Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, in press.
4. Elliott DM; Robinson PS; Gimbel JA; Sarver JJ; Abboud JA; Iozzo RV; Soslowsky LJ; "Effect of altered matrix proteins on quasi-linear viscoelastic properties in transgenic mouse tail tendons." Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 31, 599-605, 2003.
5. Sarver JJ; Seliktar R; "Study of the vibromyographic signal as a means for quantifying muscular effort." Hong Kong Physiotherapy Journal: 18(1), 33-36, 2000.
6. Sarver JJ; Smith, BT; Seliktar, R; Mulcahey, MJ; Betz, RR; "A study of shoulder motions as a control source for adolescents with C4 level SCI." IEEE Transactions on Rehabilitation Engineering: 7 (1), 27-34, March 1999.

CONFERENCE PAPERS

1. Sarver JJ; Allen SE; Bowles RD; Elliott DM; "An alternative method for determining the neutral zone of spinal motion segment units." American Society of Mechanical Engineers 2003 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, Washington, DC, November, 2003.
2. Sarver JJ; Allen SE; Andawaris NA; Elliott DM; "Mechanical function of rodent lumbar and caudal discs: validation compared to human motion segments in axial compression." American Society of Mechanical Engineers 2003 Summer Bioengineering Conference, Key Biscayne, Florida 2003, [presentation].
3. Sarver JJ, Filanowski AJ, Vresilovic EJ, Bowles RD, Miller GJ, Elliott DM, "Compression and tension mechanical properties in the mouse disc", 49th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2003 [poster].
4. Filanowski AF; Sarver JJ; Miller GJ; Bowles RD; Soslowsky LJ; Elliott DM; "Reduced type I collagen alters disc mechanical properties in genetically engineered mice." 49th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2003 [presentation].
5. Sarver JJ, Lynch HA, Wu JP, Johannessen WJ, Elliott DM, "Mechanisms for tendon viscoelasticity determined through QLV analysis of transverse and fiber-aligned samples", 49th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2003 [poster].
6. Sarver JJ, Seliktar R, "A muscle model to explain the effect of fatigue on force tremor." 12th International Conference on Mechanics in Medicine and Biology, Limnos Greece, September 2002 [presentation].
7. Sarver JJ, Seliktar R, "Modeling isometric force tremor after exhaustive exercise: evaluation of model performance." 8th Symposium on Computer Simulation in Biomechanics ISB, Milan Italy, July 2001 [presentation].
8. Sarver JJ, Seliktar R, "Wavelet analysis of the vibromyographic (VMG) signal to quantify muscular effort." Proceedings of the 21st Annual International Conference - IEEE EMBS, Atlanta GA, 950, Oct 1999 [presentation].
9. Sarver JJ, Seliktar R, "A simplified mechanical model to predict motor restrictions of the partially paralyzed shoulder." ASME: Bioengineering Conference, Anaheim CA, 397-398. Nov 1998 [poster].
10. Sarver JJ, Smith BT, Seliktar R, "A quantitative analysis of shoulder motion used for controlling FES systems in adolescents with C4 level SCI." RESNA Proceedings, Pittsburgh, USA, 289, June 1997 [presentation].

Book Chapters:

1. "Measurements in Biomechanics" (chp 1) in Clinical Biomechanics. Zeevi Dvir (ed.), Churchill Livingstone, Philadelphia, USA 2000.

Joseph, who goes by "J", joined the McKay Orthopaedic Laboratory in the fall of 2001, as a post-doctoral fellow, under the guidance of Dr. Dawn M. Elliott. While working with Dr. Elliott, he the mechanics of the intervertebral discs of mice, as an animal model to study degeneration. In addition, he worked with several undergraduate students, Drexel Co-ops and senior design, to complete a planar biaxial mechanical testing machine for use in testing soft tissue. In the fall of 2003, J accepted a Research Associate position at McKay, and will be working on his own research, involving skeletal muscle, as well as on projects with Dr. Louis J. Soslowsky.

J's doctoral work focused on neuromuscular adaptation to exercise induced fatigue and developing technologies for quantifying fatigue. In particular, J's study determined that mechanical signals of force-tremor and vibromyography reduced significantly following exhaustive flexor exercise about the elbow. In addition, J developed a population-based mathematical model which explained that these mechanical changes were due to a slowing in excitation/contraction coupling, as well as an increase in neurological excitation.

J's masters work was done at Shriners Hospital for Children of Philadelphia, where he examined shoulder motion in children with C4 level spinal cord injuries. J's study determined that the range of shoulder motion in this group was sufficient for use with the current 'hand-grasp' functional-electrical-stimulation system developed at Case Western Reserve University, FES Center.

J enjoys exploring the ancient ruins and swimming in the crystal clear waters of Greece every summer with his wife, Theodora Karayianni Sarver, and son, Dimitrios Stephen Sarver.