Balance Research Institute
The Balance Research Institute leads and collaborates with research institutions to advance the scientific understanding of balance, postural stability, fall risk and fall prevention to improve clinical care and health outcomes. Dedicated to improving quality of life, healthspan and lifespan, our researchers conduct leading-edge studies that address the #1 reason for trauma death and injury among aging individuals: Falls. While falling down is usually an accident, it is no accident that it happens and understanding this complex system is our passion.
The Balance Research Institute explores neuromotor physiology, sensorimotor control of postural stability and risk factors associated with falling among clinical populations -- all with a focus on transformative technologies for enhanced access to effective fall prevention care.
Research Team
Director, Stefan Madansingh, Ph.D.
Stefan Madansingh is an engineer, scientist and leads the R&D team for Zibrio. He has a bachelor in aerospace engineering from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and a doctorate in biomechanics and neuromotor control from the University of Houston. He is a researcher in aging, assistive and restorative technology and fall risk among clinical populations, and completed his post-doctoral training at Mayo Clinic. Stefan is passionate about technology translation and bringing industry and academia together to impact patient care.
Katharine Forth, Ph.D.
Katharine Forth has a doctorate in human motor control and conducted her postdoctoral fellowship at NASA. An expert in postural stability, Dr. Forth has been on the leading edge of postural stability research and innovation for 23 years. Dr. Forth also created award-winning balance training programs for older adults, and received the Young investigator Award at the World Expo 2000 for research into that work. Dr. Forth is passionate about optimizing and improving balance for a better life and better sports performance.
Dr. John Holcomb
Erez Aiden, Ph.D.
John Holcomb received his M.D. from the University of Arkansas Medical School in 1985 and entered the U.S. Army, completing his general surgery training in 1991. Dr Holcomb then deployed with the Joint Special Operations Command for the next decade. From 2002 to 2008, COL Holcomb was the Commander of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and Trauma Consultant for the Army Surgeon General and a 3 time recipient of the Army’s Greatest Invention award. COL Holcomb retired from active duty in 2008 and worked at UT Health, Houston, as a Professor of Surgery until 2019. Dr Holcomb is currently Professor of Surgery at University of Alabama, Birmingham, has published > 670 peer reviewed articles, and continues to drive the leading edge of clinical medicine and research.
Erez Lieberman Aiden, CTO, has a doctorate from Harvard-MIT; his work has been featured on the cover of Nature and appeared on Nature’s list of best research of 2007. Erez is an asst. professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
William Paloski, Ph.D.
Kristi Bartlett, M.S.
Kristi Bartlett holds a Masters of Science in industrial design and is currently pursuing a PhD in technology at Purdue University. Her research centers on all steps of the product development process, from human-centered design methods to specifications development and device validation.
William Paloski has a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is an expert at sensory-motor control of balance and locomotion, having studied postural stability in astronauts, volunteers subjected to bedrest and artificial gravity, healthy young and aging populations, and those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. Bill retired recently as Director of NASA’s Human Research Program. He was formerly a professor at the University of Houston, where he was founding director of the UH Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research.
Mariana Keymolen, B.S.
Divya Venkataraman
Divya is a high school junior at Monta Vista High School; her particular domains of interest in neuroscience are cognitive neuroscience, motion perception, neurodegenerative diseases and potential treatments for diseases/disorders.
Mariana Keymolen focuses on healthcare design and thinking about the entire experience, not only for patients but the caregivers as well. Her efforts in analyzing user research and feedback drives the product development and improvement at ZIBRIO.
If you are interested in collaborating with the Balance Research Institute, contact us below.