Daniel (Danny) Davis, PhD

NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellow

Sayu Lab for Biomechanics and Locomotion, University of Utah

My research aims to uncover the mechanisms by which the human musculoskeletal system functions in both optimal and sub-optimal contexts. Specifically, I am interested in how passive and active structures within the body interact to produce energetically efficient movement. As a postdoc, I am examining how foot & shoe properties influence the joint and muscle mechanics and energetics of older adults.

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If you would like to get in contact with me, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email, Bluesky, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

During my PhD, I...

1) perturbed toe dorsiflexion to examine its influence on foot arch stiffness in walking (Davis & Challis, PLoS ONE, 2022),

2) characterized the mechanical function of the foot's arch during walking, rearfoot strike running, and non-rearfoot strike running (Davis & Challis, J Biomech, 2023),

and 3) developed a multi-segment computational foot model to explore how foot arch stiffness altered the metabolic cost of gait in forward dynamics simulations (Davis & Challis, Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin, 2024 & Davis & Challis, Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin, 2025).

As a postdoc, I am training in...

1) cine B-mode ultrasound (Davis et al., J Appl Physiol, 2025)

2) biplane fluoroscopy

and 3) clinical gait tests in older adults

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