Walter Herzog

PhD, CRC, Associate Dean (Research), Professor, Director of the Human Performance Lab

Faculty of Kinesiology

Postdoc

University of Calgary, 1987

PhD - Biomechanics

University of Iowa, 1985

Diploma II - Physical Education, Biomechanics

Federal Technical Institute Zurich, 1978

Diploma I - Physical Education

Federal Technical Institute Zurich, 1977

Contact information

Phone

Office: 403.220.8525

Web presence

Human Performance Lab

Location

Kinesiology : KNB402

Courses

      

  View courses


Research and teaching

Movement Science & Musculoskeletal Health

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Neuro-Biomechanics
  • Biomechanics

Activities

Herzog's research is focused on the neuro-biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system with emphasis on mechanisms of muscle contraction focusing on the role of the structural protein titin, and the biomechanics of joints focusing on mechanisms of onset and progression of osteoarthritis. Expertise is in the area of growth, healing, and adaptation of soft (ligament, tendon, muscle, and articular cartilage) and hard (bone) tissues. Within this area he works experimentally and theoretically on the molecular/cellular, in vitro, in situ, and in vivo level. It also includes cell manipulation and mechanical testing and finite element modeling, continuum mechanics, simulations and theories of growth and adaptation.

Positions

Director, Human Performance Laboratory
Professor, Faculties of Kinesiology and Engineering
Adjunct Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Surgery 
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) for Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics


Biography

Walter Herzog CV

Citizenship: Swiss, Canadian

University article in UToday Prestigious Killam Prize awarded to Walter Herzog, pioneer in biomechanics. 

Neuromech TV Interview: It is not about papers, it is about people.  (Interview begins at one minute)


Publications

More than 600 publications in scientific refereed journals, as well as author/editor of six books, more than 50 book chapters, and more than 900 refereed conference proceedings.
To view more please see Dr. Walter Herzog's Curriculum Vitae.


Awards

2021            Named Award “Dr. Walter Herzog Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research”, 
                    Brazilian Society for Biomechanics

2020           1st Prize and Award for “Excellence in Basic, Clinical, and Translational Science”
                    form the Orthopaedic Research Society for manuscript “Multiparametric MR imaging 
                    reveals early cartilage degeneration at 2 and 8 weeks after ACL transection in a rabbit model”

2020            Outstanding Reviewer, CIHR College of Reviewers, 2019 Fall Grant Competition

2018             Killam Prize in Engineering from Canada Council for the Arts for body of work in 
                     musculoskeletal biomechanics

2017             Muybridge Career Award from the International Society of Biomechanics

2017             Geoffrey Dyson Career Award from the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports

2016             Elected Honorary Member, Chilean Association for Human Movement Science

2015             Kinesiology Outstanding Supervisor Award

2015             BME GP Outstanding Supervisor Award

2015             Hero of Biomechanics, awarded by student body of International Society of Biomechanics
                     for supervisory excellence and support of students and scientists from economically 
                     developing countries

2015             Best Paper in Biomechanics, Korean Society for Precision Engineering 2016 Fall Conference

2009‑2014   Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council CREATE Training Programme for 
                     Biomedical Engineers for the 21st Century ($300,000/year)

2013             Induction into the Royal Society of Canada Fellowship

2013             GSA Supervisory Excellence Award Nomination (Student Nominated Finalist)

2012             Izaak Walton Killam Graduate Supervision & Mentoring Award

2011/2016    Canada Research Chair in Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics, Tier I

2011/2016    Killam Memorial Chair (2011 – 2021)

2011              American Society of Biomechanics, Elected Fellow

2009‑2011    Killam Fellowship ‑ Canada Council for the Arts

2010             Plenary Lecturer – World Congress on Biomechanics. Singapore

2010             Presidents Lecture - American College of Sports Medicine

2010             First prize, “Paper of highest public interest 2009” award, Sportorthopadie Sporttraumatologie

2009             Winner of the Faculty of Kinesiology Excellence in Teaching and Research Award

2009‑2011    Past President‑International Society of Biomechanics

2007‑2009   President‑International Society of Biomechanics

2006             Canadian Society for Biomechanics, Elected Fellow

2006             Canadian Society for Biomechanics, Career Award Presentation title: Muscle Mechanics: 
                      From Society to Cell and Back

2006             Winner, ASB Borelli Award, Premier Research Award of the American Society of Biomechanics
                      Presentation, Title: Of myosins, muscles and mechanisms of contraction

2005             Visiting Scholar, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

2004            Invited Workshop on Skeletal Muscle Mechanics, American Society of Biomechanics, 
                     Portland, Oregon

2004            Steven's Visiting Scholar, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

2003           Winner of the Inaugural Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision, 
                     University of Calgary

2003‑2004  President, American Society of Biomechanics

2002           Winner of the President's Circle Award for Excellence and Creativity in 
                    Scientific Research, University of Calgary

2001            Inaugural Research Excellence Award, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary

1999            Winner of the Scott Haldeman Award and 1st prize in the international free paper 
                    competition for original research at the World Conference of Chiropractic fifth Congress, 
                    Auckland, New Zealand (with E. Suter, G. McMorland, R. Bray)

1999           The Killam Resident Fellowship (for excellence in scientific research)

1998           CCA Researcher of the Year Award for Basic Research on the Mechanics of the Spine

1998           Best scientific paper in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics for 1998 
                   (with E. Suter, R. Bray, K. DeSouza)

1996           The Killam Resident Fellowship

1996           “JCCA Award of Excellence” for manuscript which made the most significant contribution 
                   between 1993‑1995 (Category: Literature Reviews)

1995‑1997   President, Canadian Society for Biomechanics

1997‑1999   Past President, Canadian Society for Biomechanics

1995            First prize for spinal research done by a private practitioner, Chiropractic 
                    Centennial Conference, Washington, D.C. (with G. Kawchuk)

1995            CCA Centennial Research Award Lecture, Toronto, ON

1994            Winner of the International Conference of Spinal Manipulation Basic Science Research 
                    Award (with J. Gál)

1994            Winner of the Canadian Association for Sports Medicine Research Award (with M. Maitland)

1993            Winner of the CCA Centennial Convention Research Competition

 

Current Grant Support 

2015-2022   CIHR - $345,834/year

2020-2025   NSERC - $138,000/year

2013-2021   Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation - $47,076/year

2011-2021   Killam Memorial Chair - $150,000/year

2011-2022   CIHR Canada Research Chair - $200,000/year

2020-2022   The Arthritis Society - $120,000/year

2018-2021   Alberta Spine Foundation - $75,000