Hai Yao, Ph.D.
SC TRIMH Principal Investigator and Program Director
Associate Vice-President for Biomedical Innovation
Ernest R. Norville Endowed Chair in Biomedical Engineering and Professor in Bioengineering
Email: haiyao@clemson.edu

Research Interests:
Dr. Yao’s research expertise spans a spectrum of topics ranging from basic research on cartilage/bone mechanobiology to translational research of orthopedic/dental implants, tools, and therapeutics. His team’s work contributed to the world’s first demonstration of a functional full synovial joint regeneration. The research is conducted at multiscale levels from whole body to single cells, including imaging-based joint kinematics (body level), tissue characterization and constitutive modeling (tissue level), single-cell mechanics and mechanobiology (cell level), and molecular transport and assembling (molecular level). This approach provides new perspectives on the understanding of skeletal tissue degeneration and regeneration processes by bringing together the principles of biomechanics, biomaterials, and biology.

Martine LaBerge, Ph.D.
SC TRIMH Associate Program Director
Professor of Bioengineering
Email: laberge@clemson.edu

Research Interests:
Dr. LaBerge has conducted research in orthopaedic biomaterials and biomechanics for the past 25 years. Her research interests include the evaluation and characterization of natural and artificial surfaces used in the design of orthopaedic implants. Her laboratory is recognized for its pioneering work in determining the phospholipid profile of articular cartilage and its contribution to synovial boundary lubrication, and for the tribology of total knee replacement.

Windsor Westbrook Sherrill, Ph.D.
SC TRIMH Executive Committee Member
Provost's Distinguished Professor of Public Health Sciences
Associate Vice President for Health Research
Chief Science Officer for Prisma Health-Upstate
Email: wsherri@clemson.edu

Research Interests:
Dr. Sherrill's health research spans diverse disciplines, including health finance and policy, health services evaluation, health disparities and health management education. Her work has been funded by NIH, AHRQ, HRSA and health related foundations. In her role as Associate VP for Health Research at Clemson University and Chief Science Officer at Prisma Health-Upstate, she has been instrumental in facilitating collaborations between Clemson investigators and clinician scientists at GHS and other health system partners. She provides key leadership for this initiative and supports clinician engagement, project development, and clinical translation.

Michael Kern, Ph.D.
SC TRIMH Executive Committee Member and Mentoring Program Director
Professor of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Email: mjkern@clemson.edu

Research Interests:
Dr. Kern’s current research is focused on congenital birth defects particularly cleft palate, tooth malformations, salivary gland defects, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and intervertebral discs (IVD). The research in his lab is particularly focused on a group of 16 human homeobox genes that play a role in the development of many of these tissues. His research is also highly collaborative in working with Clemson faculty such as Dr. Hai Yao. He has studied the TMJ and IVD how it is altered in function, composition, cellular activity, and molecular aspects of diffusion and energy consumption.

Kyle Jeray, MD
Professor of Surgery at the University of South Carolina
Chair of Orthopaedics at PRISMA Health
Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at Clemson University

As the chair of the former Phase I Clinical Advisory Committee, Dr. Jeray understands the objectives of COBRE and will continue to play a key role in providing clinical expertise to SC- TRIMH research projects and help facilitate match with clinical collaborators as needed.

William Bridges, Ph.D.
Alumni Professor of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at Clemson University

Dr. Bridges assures the training and education of SC-TRIMH investigators about rigor in designing and performing scientific research and the ability to reproduce biomedical research findings. He also provides one-on-one consultation for statistical and power analysis for research experiment and animal modeling to RPLs, PPLs, and COBRE investigators.

Thomas Gallien, BA
SC TRIMH Program Manager
Email: tgallie@clemson.edu

Mr. Gallien, who has more than 30 years of experience in grant and program management, provides daily operational support for the program. Mr. Gallien serves as a liaison between the many entities involved in the program, facilitates trainee interaction with the Clinical Advisory Committee, and as a member the MUSC IACUC and IBC committees, assists trainees addressing research compliance matters. Please feel free to contact Mr. Gallien for SC TRIMH information.

Janet Hoffman Evatt, MTS
SC TRIMH Administrative Coordinator
Email: jevatt@clemson.edu

Ms. Evatt has more than 15 years of grant and program management experience. She oversees operations for the Clemson University School of Health Research (CUSHR) and provides operational support for the SC TRIMH Center. Ms. Evatt serves as a liaison to engage researchers from across Clemson colleges in musculoskeletal-related research, and to connect Clemson faculty with clinical collaborators among our health system partners. In addition, she facilitates team meetings, events, and communication. Please feel free to contact Ms. Evatt for SC TRIMH information.

Anna Craft, BS
SC TRIMH Communication Director
Email: akcraft@clemson.edu

Ms. Craft works for the Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University. She provides support to the SC TRIMH program by overseeing and executing website development and newsletter distribution.

Cody Pelfrey, MA
Research Grant Coordinators

Mr. Pelfrey supports the ADMIN core in Phase II by providing financial reports, overseeing detailed budget planning for each core and project, maintaining detailed financial reports, verifying disbursements, expenditures, and data processing reports for accuracy. He ensures compliance with state, federal and university policies and procedures, and analyzes financial information to prepare reports for SC-TRIMH Program Manager and Dr. Yao.

Leigh Humphries
CUBEInC Aministrative Coordinator

Mrs. Humphries supports the administrative office at CUBEInC and provides assistance for SC-TRIMH workshop and symposium planning and AC meetings.