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Audrone Biknevicius, Ph.D.

In the anatomy lab, Biknevicius, often draws on her animal research to explain how things develop.

More importantly, she says, “I think the passion [for anatomical research] transfers to the gross anatomy lab, because you can’t help it. It doesn’t matter if it’s how the ear evolved or how bodies move, there’s a part of your brain that says, ‘that’s very similar to this,’ or ‘that’s very different. I wonder why?’”

With OHIO biologist Stephen Reilly, Ph.D., Biknevicius studies energy-saving locomotion in small, four-legged animals like hedgehogs and opossums with the help of treadmills and force platforms that measure applied force.

“I’m interested in how things work,” says Biknevicius, associate professor of anatomy. “I want to know how animals do what they do—how they run, how their gaits form … It really just stems from an insane level of curiosity.”

Next, Biknevicius hopes to return to a previous—and decidedly more companionable—research focus: dogs. For this study, she will use a force-plated treadmill that is split into four separate parts to measure the impact of each limb independently.

“I want to see which limbs initiate different actions, such as running—whether they’re forelimb-driven or hind-limb driven, at which speed the body begins using spring elements to conserve energy,” she says. “Once we understand the function in adult dogs, then we can come back and look at their development [in puppies].”

Patrick O’Connor, Ph.D

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