Associate Professor Taylor Dick

Associate Professor

School of Biomedical Sciences

+61 7 336 52198

t.dick@uq.edu.au

Researcher biography

Taylor Dick is an Associate Professor in The School of Biomedical Sciences and Director of the Neuromuscular Biomechanics Laboratory within the School of Biomedical Sciences. She leads a highly interdisciplinary research program at the nexus of biomechanics, bio-inspired assistive devices, and neuromuscular physiology. Using a combination of experimental and modelling tools, her research answers fundamental questions about how movement underpins evolution, health, and disease.

Upon completing her PhD in 2016 (Simon Fraser University, Canada), in collaboration with Harvard's Concord Field Station, she undertook post-doctoral training in biomedical engineering (University of North Carolina, 2016-17) where she combined her expertise in biomechanics and muscle physiology to discover how bio-robotic devices influence locomotor energetics and the neuromechanical mechanisms that enable stability during unexpected perturbations. This has since provided inspiration for the optimization of bio-robotic assistive devices, in response to the behaviour of their physiological targets. In 2017, she was appointed a research and teaching academic at the University of Queensland (UQ) where she has developed a uniquely integrative and multi-disciplinary approach to studying locomotion and neuromuscular function with applications across discovery and translation. Her research program integrates musculoskeletal anatomy, neural control, and biomechanics to understand the diverse movements of humans and animals. By combining high-resolution and innovative experimental paradigms with modelling and simulation techniques, her team, a rich blend of biomechanists, physiologists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists, investigates the complex interactions between biological systems that enable the remarkable diversity in human and animal movement.

Taylor has established herself internationally as an emerging leader in biomechanics research. This reputation is supported by prestigious awards, invited talks and review papers, and media attention. Her research has been funded through competitive grant schemes and industry partnerships, with total research support exceeding $3.6 million. Her contributions to research and mentorship have been recognized with a 2024 Queensland Tall Poppy Award, 2024 International Union of Physiologists Junior Faculty Award; 2024 International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology Kevin P. Granata Award, and the 2021 International Society of Biomechanics Jaquelin Perry Emerging Scientist Award. Taylor has been nominated (2020 and 2021) for the Faculty of Medicine Rising Star of the Year Award. Taylor is an elected Executive Council member of the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB) and the elected Chairperson of the Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical group. She is a passionate promotor of STEM for young girls—having co-developed the led a government-funded nationwide program to boost girls' engagement in STEM, BRInC https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/faculties/health/brinc

She currently advises 12 PhD candidates, 1 Master's student, and 5 Honours students. She has successfully advised 5 PhD, 2 Master's and 9 Honours students to completion since commencing her faculty position at UQ in 2017.

For more information about her program of research, visit her lab website: https://biomedical-sciences.uq.edu.au/research/groups/neuromuscular-biomechanics

Publications

Journal Articles (52)

Conference Papers (6)

Journal Articles

Lichtwark, Glen A., Jessup, Luke N., Konno, Ryan N., Riveros-Matthey, Cristian D. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2025). Integrating muscle energetics into biomechanical models to understand variance in the cost of movement. Journal of Experimental Biology, 228 (Suppl_1). doi: 10.1242/jeb.248022

Kelp, Nicole Y., Tucker, Kylie, Hug, François and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2024). Effects of altered contractile environment on muscle shape change in the triceps surae. Journal of Experimental Biology, 227 (23) jeb248118. doi: 10.1242/jeb.248118

Clemente, Christofer J., De Groote, Friedl and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2024). Predictive musculoskeletal simulations reveal the mechanistic link between speed, posture and energetics among extant mammals. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 8594, 1-10. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-52924-z

Rockenfeller, Robert, Günther, Michael, Clemente, Christofer J. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2024). Rethinking the physiological cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle reveals the mechanical advantage of pennation. Royal Society Open Science, 11 (9) 240037, 240037. doi: 10.1098/rsos.240037

Dick, Taylor J.M., Besomi, Manuela, Coltman, Celeste E., Diamond, Laura E., Hall, Michelle, Maharaj, Jayishni, Kean, Crystal O., Barzan, Martina and Mickle, Karen J. (2024). A 100-day mentoring program leads to positive shifts in girls’ perceptions and attitudes towards biomechanics and related STEM disciplines. Journal of Biomechanics, 173 112244, 112244. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2024.112244

Dick, Taylor J. M., Tucker, Kylie, Hug, François, Besomi, Manuela, van Dieën, Jaap H., Enoka, Roger M., Besier, Thor, Carson, Richard G., Clancy, Edward A., Disselhorst-Klug, Catherine, Falla, Deborah, Farina, Dario, Gandevia, Simon, Holobar, Aleš, Kiernan, Matthew C., Lowery, Madeleine, McGill, Kevin, Merletti, Roberto, Perreault, Eric, Rothwell, John C., Søgaard, Karen, Wrigley, Tim and Hodges, Paul W. (2024). Consensus for experimental design in electromyography (CEDE) project: application of EMG to estimate muscle force. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 79 102910, 102910. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2024.102910

Farris, Dominic J., Po, Jemima C. N., Yee, Jordan, Williamson, James L. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2024). Effects of passive ankle exoskeletons on neuromuscular function during exaggerated standing sway. Royal Society Open Science, 11 (5) 230590, 1-12. doi: 10.1098/rsos.230590

Labonte, David, Bishop, Peter J., Dick, Taylor J. M. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2024). Dynamic similarity and the peculiar allometry of maximum running speed. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 2181, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46269-w

Coombes, Brooke K., Hanna, Monica, Thompson, Kaelah A., Coppieters, Michel W., Dick, Taylor J. M., Andrade, Ricardo J. and Barber, Lee (2024). Mild untreated hypercholesterolaemia affects mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon but not gastrocnemius muscle. Journal of Biomechanics, 166 112048. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2024.112048

Williamson, James L., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2023). Exploring the impact of passive ankle exoskeletons on lower-limb neuromechanics during walking on sloped surfaces: implications for device design. Machines, 11 (12) 1071, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/machines11121071

de Brito Fontana, Heiliane, Dick, Taylor J.M., Han, Seong-won and Herzog, Walter (2023). Muscle research in biomechanics – In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the International Society of Biomechanics. Journal of Biomechanics, 161 111740, 111740. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111740

Williamson, James L., Lichtwark, Glen A. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2023). Elastic ankle exoskeletons influence soleus fascicle dynamics during unexpected perturbations. Journal of Biomechanics, 159 111775, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111775

Roberts, Thomas J. and Dick, Taylor J.M. (2023). What good is a measure of muscle length? The how and why of direct measurements of skeletal muscle motion. Journal of Biomechanics, 157 111709, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111709

Hamard, Raphaël, Aeles, Jeroen, Avrillon, Simon, Dick, Taylor J.M. and Hug, François (2023). A comparison of neural control of the biarticular gastrocnemius muscles between knee flexion and ankle plantar flexion. Journal of Applied Physiology, 135 (2), 394-404. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00075.2023

Kelp, Nicole Y., Clemente, Christofer J., Tucker, Kylie, Hug, François, Pinel, Sabrina and Dick, Taylor J.M. (2023). Influence of internal muscle properties on muscle shape change and gearing in the human gastrocnemii. Journal of Applied Physiology, 134 (6), 1520-1529. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00080.2023

Dick, Taylor J.M. and Hug, François (2023). Advances in imaging for assessing the design and mechanics of skeletal muscle in vivo. Journal of Biomechanics, 155 111640, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111640

Clemente, Christofer J. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2023). How scaling approaches can reveal fundamental principles in physiology and biomechanics. Journal of Experimental Biology, 226 (7) 226, 1-12. doi: 10.1242/jeb.245310

Williamson, James L., Lichtwark, Glen A., Sawicki, Gregory S. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2023). The influence of elastic ankle exoskeletons on lower limb mechanical energetics during unexpected perturbations. Royal Society Open Science, 10 (2) 221133, 1-12. doi: 10.1098/rsos.221133

Thornton, Lauren H., Dick, Taylor J. M., Bennett, Mike B. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2022). Understanding Australia's unique hopping species: a comparative review of the musculoskeletal system and locomotor biomechanics in Macropodoidea. Australian Journal of Zoology, 69 (4), 136-157. doi: 10.1071/ZO21048

Hamard, Raphaël, Hug, François, Kelp, Nicole Y., Feigean, Romain, Aeles, Jeroen and Dick, Taylor J.M. (2022). Inclusion of image-based in vivo experimental data into the Hill-type muscle model affects the estimation of individual force-sharing strategies during walking. Journal of Biomechanics, 135 111033, 111033. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.111033

Cieri, Robert L., Dick, Taylor J. M., Morris, Jeremy S. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2022). Scaling of fibre area and fibre glycogen concentration in the hindlimb musculature of monitor lizards: implications for locomotor performance with increasing body size. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 225 (Supp. 1) jeb243380. doi: 10.1242/jeb.243380

Aeles, Jeroen, Bolsterlee, Bart, Kelp, Nicole Y., Dick, Taylor J. M. and Hug, François (2022). Regional variation in lateral and medial gastrocnemius muscle fibre lengths obtained from diffusion tensor imaging. Journal of Anatomy, 240 (1) joa.13539, 131-144. doi: 10.1111/joa.13539

Kelp, Nicole Y., Gore, Anna, Clemente, Christofer J., Tucker, Kylie, Hug, François and Dick, Taylor J.M. (2021). Muscle architecture and shape changes in the gastrocnemii of active younger and older adults. Journal of Biomechanics, 129 110823, 110823. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110823

Pinel, Sabrina, Kelp, Nicole Y., Bugeja, Jessica M., Bolsterlee, Bart, Hug, François and Dick, Taylor J.M. (2021). Quantity versus quality: age-related differences in muscle volume, intramuscular fat, and mechanical properties in the triceps surae. Experimental Gerontology, 156 111594, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111594

Hamard, Raphaël, Aeles, Jeroen, Kelp, Nicole Y., Feigean, Romain, Hug, François and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2021). Does different activation between the medial and the lateral gastrocnemius during walking translate into different fascicle behavior?. Journal of Experimental Biology, 224 (12) jeb242626, 1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.242626

Dick, Taylor J. M., Clemente, Christofer J., Punith, Laksh K. and Sawicki, Gregory S. (2021). Series elasticity facilitates safe plantar flexor muscle–tendon shock absorption during perturbed human hopping. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 288 (1947) rspb.2021.0201, 20210201. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0201

Cieri, Robert L., Dick, Taylor J. M., Irwin, Robert, Rumsey, Daniel and Clemente, Christofer J. (2021). The scaling of ground reaction forces and duty factor in monitor lizards: implications for locomotion in sprawling tetrapods. Biology Letters, 17 (2) 20200612, 1-8. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0612

Lai, Adrian K. M., Dick, Taylor J. M., Brown, Nicholas A. T., Biewener, Andrew A. and Wakeling, James M. (2021). Lower-limb muscle function is influenced by changing mechanical demands in cycling. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 224 (3) jeb228221. doi: 10.1242/jeb.228221

Lai, Adrian K. M., Dick, Taylor J. M., Biewener, Andrew A. and Wakeling, James M. (2021). Task-dependent recruitment across ankle extensor muscles and between mechanical demands is driven by the metabolic cost of muscle contraction. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 18 (174) 20200765, 20200765. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0765

Lindemann, India, Coombes, Brooke K., Tucker, Kylie, Hug, François and Dick, Taylor J.M. (2020). Age-related differences in gastrocnemii muscles and Achilles tendon mechanical properties in vivo. Journal of Biomechanics, 112 110067, 110067. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110067

Cieri, Robert L., Dick, Taylor J. M. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2020). Monitoring muscle over three orders of magnitude: widespread positive allometry among locomotor and body support musculature in the pectoral girdle of varanid lizards (Varanidae). Journal of Anatomy, 237 (6) joa.13273, 1114-1135. doi: 10.1111/joa.13273

Clemente, Christofer J., Dick, Taylor J. M., Glen, Christopher L. and Panagiotopoulou, Olga (2020). Biomechanical insights into the role of foot pads during locomotion in camelid species. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 3856, 3856. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-60795-9

Nuckols, R. W., Dick, T. J.M., Beck, O. N. and Sawicki, G. S. (2020). Ultrasound imaging links soleus muscle neuromechanics and energetics during human walking with elastic ankle exoskeletons. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 3604, 3604. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-60360-4

Dick, T. J., Punith, L. K. and Sawicki, G. S. (2020). Correction to ‘Humans falling in holes: adaptations in lower-limb joint mechanics in response to a rapid change in substrate height during human hopping’. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 17 (163) 20200047, 20200047. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0047

Dick, Taylor J. M., Punith, Laksh K. and Sawicki, Gregory S. (2019). Humans falling in holes: adaptations in lower-limb joint mechanics in response to a rapid change in substrate height during human hopping. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 16 (159) 20190292, 20190292. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0292

McCain, Emily M., Dick, Taylor J. M., Giest, Tracy N., Nuckols, Richard W., Lewek, Michael D., Saul, Katherine R. and Sawicki, Gregory S. (2019). Mechanics and energetics of post-stroke walking aided by a powered ankle exoskeleton with speed-adaptive myoelectric control. Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 16 (1) 57, 57. doi: 10.1186/s12984-019-0523-y

Clemente, Christofer J., Dick, Taylor J. M., Wheatley, Rebecca, Gaschk, Joshua, Nasir, Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul, Cameron, Skye F. and Wilson, Robbie S. (2019). Moving in complex environments: a biomechanical analysis of locomotion on inclined and narrow substrates. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 222 (6) jeb189654, jeb189654. doi: 10.1242/jeb.189654

Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2018). Geometric models to explore mechanisms of dynamic shape change in skeletal muscle. Royal Society Open Science, 5 (5) 172371, 172371. doi: 10.1098/rsos.172371

Lai, Adrian K.M., Arnold, Allison S., Biewener, Andrew A., Dick, Taylor J.M. and Wakeling, James M. (2017). Does a two-element muscle model offer advantages when estimating ankle plantar flexor forces during human cycling?. Journal of Biomechanics, 68, 6-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.12.018

Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2017). Shifting gears: dynamic muscle shape changes and force-velocity behavior in the medial gastrocnemius. Journal of Applied Physiology, 123 (6), 1433-1442. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01050.2016

Dick, Taylor J. M., Biewener, Andrew A. and Wakeling, James M. (2017). Comparison of human gastrocnemius forces predicted by Hill-type muscle models and estimated from ultrasound images. Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 (9), 1643-1653. doi: 10.1242/jeb.154807

Dick, Taylor J. M. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2017). Where have all the giants gone? How animals deal with the problem of size. PLoS Biology, 15 (1) e2000473, e2000473. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2000473

Mitrou, Nicholas, Laurin, Alexandre, Dick, Taylor and Inskip, Jessica (2017). A peak detection method for identifying phase in physiological signals. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, 31, 452-462. doi: 10.1016/j.bspc.2016.07.001

Dick, Taylor J. M., Arnold, Allison S. and Wakeling, James M. (2016). Quantifying Achilles tendon force in vivo from ultrasound images. Journal of Biomechanics, 49 (14), 3200-3207. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.07.036

Hodson-Tole, Emma F., Wakeling, James M. and Dick, Taylor J. M. (2016). Passive muscle-tendon unit gearing is joint dependent in human medial gastrocnemius. Frontiers in Physiology, 7 (95) 95. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00095

Dick, Taylor J. M. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2016). How to build your dragon: scaling of muscle architecture from the world's smallest to the world's largest monitor lizard. Frontiers in Zoology, 13 (8) 8. doi: 10.1186/s12983-016-0141-5

Lesser, I. A., Dick, T. J. M., Guenette, J. A., Hoogbruin, A., Mackey, D. C., Singer, J. and Lear, S. A. (2015). The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and abdominal adiposity in postmenopausal, physically inactive South Asian women. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2, 783-787. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.09.007

Morrison, Sidney M., Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2015). Structural and mechanical properties of the human Achilles tendon: sex and strength effects. Journal of Biomechanics, 48 (12) 7259, 3530-3533. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.06.009

Olszewski, Katarzyna, Dick, Taylor J. M. and Wakeling, James M. (2015). Achilles tendon moment arms: the importance of measuring at constant tendon load when using the tendon excursion method. Journal of Biomechanics, 48 (6), 1206-1209. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.02.007

Lesser, I. A., Dick, T., Gasevic, D., Mackey, D. C., Leipsic, J. A. and Lear, S. A. (2014). The association between physical activity and liver fat after five years of follow-up in a primary prevention multi-ethnic cohort. Preventive Medicine, 67, 199-203. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.07.038

Dick, Taylor J. M., Lesser, Iris A., Leipsic, Jonathon A., Mancini, G. B. John and Lear, Scott A. (2013). The effect of obesity on the association between liver fat and carotid atherosclerosis in a multi-ethnic cohort. Atherosclerosis, 226 (1), 208-213. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.10.040

Conference Papers

Punith, Laksh Kumar, Williamson, James, Dick, Taylor J. M. and Sawicki, Gregory S. (2022). Spring like passive elastic exoskeletons may improve stability and safety of locomotion in uneven terrain. 5th International Symposium on Wearable Robotics, WeRob2020, and of WearRAcon Europe 2020, Virtual, 13-16 October 2020. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-69547-7_7

Cieri, Robert, Clemente, Christofer and Dick, Taylor (2021). Ground reaction forces and muscle allometry in monitor lizards (Varanidae) with implications for the scaling of locomotion in sprawling tetrapods. Experimental Biology 2021 Meeting, Online, 27-31 April 2021. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2021.35.s1.04739

Li, Brighton, Williamson, James, Kelp, Nicole, Dick, Taylor and Bo, Antonio P. L. (2021). Towards balance assessment using Openpose. Annual International Conference of the IEEE-Engineering-in-Medicine-and-Biology-Society (IEEE EMBC), Electr Network, 1-5 November 2021. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. doi: 10.1109/EMBC46164.2021.9631001

Punith, L. K., Mcknight, M., Narsipur, S., Dick, T. J. and Sawicki, G. S. (2018). Muscle-tendon units can automatically reject perturbations without feedback during everyday cyclic tasks. Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), San Francisco, CA, United States, 3-7 January, 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/icb/icy002

Dick, T. J. M., Wakeling, J. M. and Clemente, C. J. (2016). Scaling of muscle architecture: from world's smallest to world's largest Monitor lizard. Annual Meeting of the Society-for-Integrative-and-Comparative-Biology (SICB), Portland, OR United States, 3-7 January 2016. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/icb/icw001

Dick, T. J. and Clemente, C. J. (2015). Scaling of muscle architecture in arboreal and terrestrial Varanus lizards: from V. tristis to V. komodoensis. Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), West Palm Beach, FL, United States, 3-7 January, 2015. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/icb/icv011