Nicholas Murray: Diagnostics of sport-related concussions
Title
Diagnostics of sport-related concussions
Mentor
Department
Biosketch
Nicholas Murray, Ph.D., CIC, is an associate professor, director of the Kinesiology Graduate Program, and the director for the Neuromechanics Laboratory at the Â鶹´«Ã½AV. He specializes in diagnostics of neurological conditions and runs an active clinic on campus that assists individuals who have head injuries with their diagnostic testing.
Project overview
The Pack Research Experience Program (PREP) student will be trained in diagnostic testing procedures used for concussion evaluation. This includes assessments such as the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) exam, tandem gait, the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test, and cognitive tests like ImPACT. After receiving proper training from our staff, the student will assist in administering these evaluations. Many of these diagnostic tools are paired with biomechanical instrumentation, and the student will participate in both the setup and data processing phases. Using these tools, the student will analyze the progression of recovery from acute injury to symptom resolution. A key focus will be determining whether more sensitive biomechanical measures can detect signs of clinical recovery, even when patients appear symptom-free. Additionally, the student will explore which tests are most frequently failed at symptom resolution and whether biomechanical data reveal corresponding deficits.
Pack Research Experience Program information and application