Prof. Panjabi is the Director of the Biomechanics Research Laboratory.

Spinal trauma and instability are the major areas of interest. The aim of several present studies is to experimentally produce injuries in the cervical at high speeds simulating automotive collisions. After producing injuries in cadaver specimens and demonstrating their clinical relevance by plain radiographs the primary goal is to measure the biomechanical instability of the traumatized spines. These projects include simulation of whiplash and frontal and side impacts.

Additional projects include: spinal ligament function, subfailure injuries of knee ligaments and knee joints, evaluation of artificial disc implants and other motion preservation devices for the human spine.

Selected Publications

"Cervical Spine Curvature during Simulated Whiplash," M.M. Panjabi, A.M. Pearson, S. Ito, P.C. Ivancic, J.L. Wang, Clinical Biomechanics, 19(1), 1-9. (2004).

"Radiofrequency Treatment Weakens the Fatigue Characteristics of Rabbit Anterior Cruciate Ligament," A.M. Ozenci, M.M. Panjabi,   Clinical Biomechanics, 18(2), 150-156, (2003).

"Single and Incremental Trauma Models: A Biomechanical Assessment of Spinal Instability," O.K. Atlas, S.D. Dodds, M.M. Panjabi, Euro Spine Journal, 12(2), 205-210 (2003).

"Clinical Spinal Instability and Low Back Pain," M.M. Panjabi,   Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, (special issue), 13, 371-379 (2003).

More publications
Biomechanics Research Laboratory