Kalyani Nair

Kalyani Nair is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Bradley University's Caterpillar College of Engineering & Technology, based in the Business and Engineering Convergence Center (BEC 3265). She can be contacted at knair@bradley.edu or (309) 677-4562.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University
• B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Cochin University

Dr. Nair's research focuses on biomedical engineering with expertise in biomechanics and tissue engineering. She investigates myofascial tissue mechanics in inflammatory conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, develops medical devices for spinal pathologies, and creates biomaterial scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Her work bridges engineering principles with clinical applications through techniques like myotonometry, electromyography, and computational modeling.

Analysis of her recent publications (2015-2025) reveals persistent themes in musculoskeletal biomechanics, particularly spinal disorders and myofascial tissue properties, alongside tissue engineering for tendon regeneration and cancer models. Key trends include quantification of tissue mechanical properties, medical device innovation for pediatric neurosurgery, and scaffold optimization for regenerative medicine.

Within the department, Dr. Nair serves as Coordinator of the Biomedical Concentration and sits on the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects in Research. She teaches courses spanning engineering design (ME 102), biomedical fundamentals (ME 280), CAD applications (ME 448, ME 648), and advanced topics in biomechanics (ME 580) and tissue engineering (ME 591).