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Patrick E. Crago |
Allen H. and Constance T. Ford Professor |
Dr. Crago’s research is focused on biomechanics and neural control of movement. The principal application is neural prostheses for restoration of limb function in individuals with paralysis due to spinal cord injury or stroke. He has developed control systems for 1) regulating hand grasp force and hand opening, 2) restoring coordinated elbow flexion and extension, and 3) providing individual control of wrist extension and hand grasp. These have been demonstrated in clinical tests, and in the case of elbow extension, is used in over 40 patients with implanted upper extremity neural prostheses around the world.
Dr. Crago has significant responsibilities in administering research and educational programs in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Case, where he is chair. He has successfully led the Case BME department in expanding the number of faculty by 50%, and doubling its research expenditures in the last five years. He also increased its industrial partnerships in education and research. He was a leader in developing the Master of Engineering and Management in Biomedical Entrepreneurship track at Case, and is currently the BioDirector of that program. He instituted an Industrial Development Advisory Board, and a strong industrial internship and coop program within BME, hiring a full time Director of Industrial and Student Relations who placed 23 students in industrial coop positions this semester, and placed about 90 students in industrial internships last summer. Approximately 1/3 of its undergraduates and 12 out of the department’s 16 PhD graduates enter the biomaterials/tissue engineering, biomedical imaging, and medical device industries each year.