Griffith University
Research Field: Biomedical Engineering, Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis has a significant negative effect on quality of life and often causes pain and dysfunction during walking. Non-surgical and non-drug interventions are recommended, but often fail to achieve satisfactory symptom relief and rarely lend themselves to patient self-management.
Dr Diamond’s biomechanics research has proven people with hip osteoarthritis move in a unique and detrimental way. Her work now aims to develop ‘smart’ wearable technology to retrain people with hip osteoarthritis to move in a beneficial way during their everyday activities. This cost-effective technology will empower people with hip osteoarthritis to self-manage their condition and drive their own symptom relief.
Laura’s motivation for sharing her passion for STEM has resulted in presentations for school-aged students through Science on GO! and National Biomechanics Day, and engagement with the broader community through web and print for state and national arthritis campaigns. Laura is co-lead of a nationwide women in STEM initiative which aims to engage and empower schoolgirls in biomechanics.
Dr Diamond was awarded her PhD in 2016 from The University of Melbourne. She is an early career researcher in the Griffith Centre of Biomedical and Rehabilitation Engineering and senior lecturer in the School of Health Sciences & Social Work at Griffith University.