Seong-won Han
Postdoctoral Scholar
PhD - Biomechanics
MSc - Biomechanics
Contact information
Research and teaching
Movement science & musculoskeletal health
- Muscle mechanics: cardiac & skeletal muscle mechanics; titin
- Musculoskeletal health: Patellofemoral joint mechanics; knee joint pain; quadriceps muscle imbalance
Research interests
Dr. Seong-won Han has two areas of research. First is the study of titin, a molecular spring connecting myosin filament and Z-line in a sarcomere. Her primary research goal is to investigate the exact role of titin and how it contributes to muscle contraction. This is achieved using both cardiac and skeletal muscle at cellular and sub-cellular levels.
The second area of research Dr. Han is interested in is patellofemoral joint mechanics associated to quadriceps muscle imbalance using animal models. She measures changes in mechanical properties of the patellofemoral joint (i.e. pressure distribution and patellar tracking) when the quadriceps muscle group is activated individually in isolation. This research allows her to quantify how individual quadricep muscles contribute to the patellofemoral joint mechanics, and how muscle imbalance in the quadriceps group would change its mechanical properties, and, eventually, how it would be potentially related to patellofemoral pain.
Name of supervisor:
Dr. Walter Herzog, PhD
Major funding
2019-2020: CONNECT! NSERC CREATE Training Program (NSERC; Canada)
2018-2020: Eyes High International Doctoral Scholarship (University of Calgary; Canada)
2015-2019: Dean's Doctoral Studentship (University of Calgary; Canada)
Publications
Boldt K.R., Han S.W., Joumaa V., Jinha A., Herzog W. Residual and Passive Force Enhancement in Skinned Cardiac Fibre Bundles. Journal of Biomechanics (2020, In Press) DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.109953
Han S.W., Sawatsky A., Jinha A., Herzog W. Effect of Vastus Medialis Weakness on Patellofemoral Joint Contact Pressure Distribution. Journal of Applied Biomechanics (2020, In Press) DOI: 10.1123/jab.2020-0056
de Brito Fontana H., de Campos D., Sawatsky A., Han S.W., Herzog W. Why Do Muscles Lose Torque Potential When Activated Within Their Agonistic Group? Journal of Experimental Biology (2020) DOI: 10.1242/jeb.213843
Han S.W., Sawatsky A., de Brito Fontana H., Herzog W. Contribution of individual quadriceps muscles to knee joint mechanics. Journal of Experimental Biology (2019) DOI: 10.1242/jeb.188292
de Brito Fontana H., Han S.W., Sawatsky A., Herzog W. The Non-Intuitive Mechanics of Agonistic Muscles. Journal of Biomechanics (2018) DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.07.007
Han S.W., Lee D.Y., Choi D.S., Han B., Kim J.S., Lee H.D. Asynchronous Alterations of Muscle Force and Tendon Stiffness Following 8-week Resistance Exercise with Whole-Body Vibration in Older Women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity (2017) DOI: 10.1123/japa.2016-0149
Han S.W., Lee D.Y., Lee H.D. (2014). Relationship between Muscle Strength and Tendon Stiffness of the Ankle Plantarflexors and Its functional Consequence. Korean Journal of Sport Biomechanics (2014) DOI: 10.5103/KJSB.2014.24.1.035
*For updates, please refer to the Research Gate and Google Scholar.