معرفی
Jess Gerrit Snedeker serves as Full Professor of Orthopedic Biomechanics at ETH Zurich (Department of Health Sciences and Technology) and University of Zurich since March 2022. He concurrently holds positions as Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Orthopedics at University of Zurich and Chief Scientific Officer at Balgrist Campus. His academic career at ETH Zurich progressed from Assistant Professor (2006) to Associate Professor (2008) before his promotion to Full Professor in 2022.
His educational background includes:
- Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from ETH Zurich (2004)
- M.Sc. in Bioengineering from Pennsylvania State University (2000)
- B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University (1995)
Prof. Snedeker's research centers on tendon disease mechanisms and healing, cell-biomaterial micro-interactions, and clinical biomechanics for orthopedic implants. His laboratory employs multidisciplinary approaches spanning molecular biology, computational modeling, and in vivo studies to investigate how mechanical forces regulate tendon homeostasis and how biomaterial properties influence cellular responses. Current work emphasizes mechanotransduction pathways involving SPARC and PIEZO1 proteins, and the role of advanced glycation in tendon aging.
Analysis of his 2009-2021 publications reveals evolving focus from fundamental tendon biomechanics (collagen mechanics, viscoelasticity) toward integrated mechanobiological models linking molecular pathways to tissue function. Recent work increasingly incorporates genetic factors and in vivo human performance metrics, demonstrating translational impact from molecular mechanisms to clinical outcomes in tendon disorders.
The Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory under his leadership operates as a collaborative hub between ETH Zurich, University Hospital Balgrist, and University of Zurich. The team combines engineering expertise with clinical orthopedics to develop novel diagnostic methods and implant technologies, currently investigating polycaprolactone-based tendon scaffolds and microtissue models for scar prevention.
