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• Western Engineering PhD Student wins top honours at international biomechanics symposium

Western Engineering PhD Student wins top honours at international biomechanics symposium

Grant James Dickey, a PhD candidate in biomedical enginnering. (Jacob Arts/Western Engineering)

Grant James Dickey, a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at Western University, has received the Margaret H. Hines Award at the 20th annual Injury Biomechanics Symposium, held at Ohio State University.

The award, presented for the best overall student submission, recognizes excellence in both oral presentation and written conference paper. Dickey’s research stood out among a competitive field of presenters from leading institutions around the globe.

“Every time I have an opportunity to represent our lab group and Western University on an International stage like this, it’s something I take a lot of pride in,” says Dickey.

“I’m really happy I was able to do that this year and leave a lasting impression of our work with so many incredible researchers in attendance.”

His study, supervised by Haojie Mao, professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering and department of mechanical and materials engineering, investigates how different types of heart arrhythmias—particularly atrial fibrillation—can be triggered by blunt chest trauma, a condition known as Commotio cordis. This phenomenon is rare but can be a potentially fatal cardiac event, often seen in sports.

Using advanced computational models, including the Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS v7) and a patient-specific electrophysiological heart model, Dickey simulated high-speed impacts to assess how strain in different heart chambers contributes to arrhythmia. His findings revealed that the right atrium is especially vulnerable to stretch-induced arrhythmias, expanding the current understanding of cardiac risk in sports-related trauma.

“This research not only expands our understanding of the arrhythmic spectrum in Commotio cordis, but also has important implications for sports safety and clinical monitoring,” said Mao.

The symposium drew approximately 150 attendees, including students, professors and industry professionals from North America, Europe and Asia. Over two days, 30 student presentations were delivered by researchers from top injury biomechanics programs worldwide.

Dickey’s recognition at this international forum highlights Western Engineering’s leadership in biomechanics and computational modelling, and reflects the faculty’s commitment to advancing research that improves health and safety outcomes.