Center FOR Biomechanical & 
Rehabilitation EngineerinG 
CBRE

Creator & Director: Lara Thompson, Ph.D.
 Professor of Mechanical Engineering

At University of the District of Columbia, Dr. Thompson is the director of the only ABET accredited Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering program nationwide at a historically black college and university (HBCU). Dr. Thompson is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering, the initiator and founding Director of the Biomedical Engineering program and the initiator and founding Director of the state-of-the-art Center for Biomechanical & Rehabilitation (CBRE) research laboratory.  Within her state-of-the-art lab, she investigates rehabilitative technologies (such as sensory substitutes, mechanically stabilizing aids, and rehabilitation robotics) for individuals with mild to severe immobility (e.g., veterans, fall-prone elderly individuals, survivors of stroke, and amputees), as well as the balance of healthy, able-bodied individuals.  Alongside her research, she interweaves teaching, outreach, service and mentoring. 

Prior to joining the University of the District of Columbia faculty in Fall 2013, Dr. Thompson received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), a program renowned for utilizing science and engineering to solve problems in human health. Dr. Thompson’s previous research involved the novel studies of non-human primate posture and balance for varied degrees of vestibular (equilibrium) dysfunction. In particular, the impacts of compensative strategies that the subject developed when suffering from mild or severe vestibular-impairment and the effects of using an invasive vestibular prosthesis prototype that partially restored missing vestibular information needed for balance.  This research was motivated by the several millions of Americans that suffer balance impairments due to vestibular loss.

*Photo courtesy of Sarah Laughland Photography