Research Associate Jie Deng, MD, PhD, has received a UW Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Pilot Award to advance innovative research to improve how quantitative ultrasound (QUS) imaging assesses tendon health and healing. Dr. Deng’s project will investigate what QUS measurements reveal about the underlying biological and mechanical properties of tendons. 

Using two advanced imaging and testing platforms developed by the research team, the study will directly connect ultrasound-derived metrics with collagen fiber organization and tendon viscoelastic properties. The team will study 10 cadaveric patellar tendons using shear wave elastography, mechanical testing, and advanced microscopy. By linking these complementary measurements, the researchers hope to establish a stronger foundation for using QUS metrics as imaging biomarkers of tendon health.

This pilot study could provide critical preliminary data for future research on tendon injury, personalized rehabilitation, and precision monitoring of healing and recovery.

Gait and movement disorders associated with chronic stress or excessive forces can limit physical activity, community accessibility, and quality of life. Evaluating these disorders, however, often requires access to specialized laboratories equipped with large motion-analysis systems. This research aims to determine whether wearable sensors could provide a more accessible way to assess movement and deliver feedback outside these specialized settings.

UW faculty with whom Dr. Deng is collaborating on this project are: Naoaki Ito, DPT, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Joshua Roth, PhD, an assistant professor in the Departments of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and Biomedical Engineering; Ivan Rosado-Mendez, PhD, an assistant professor in the Departments of Medical Physics and Radiology; and Kevin Eliceiri, PhD, a professor in the Departments of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering.

UW Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation’s Pilot Award Program supports the novel and developing research of department faculty and researchers who are early in their professional careers. Targeted research areas that advance the fields of orthopedics and rehabilitation include basic discovery research, patient-based clinical research, patient-centered outcomes research, dissemination and implementation research, and community engagement research.