Dominic Thewlis

Associate Professor Dominic Thewlis

Associate Professor

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD, but is currently at capacity - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Welcome to my home page at the University of Adelaide. I have the pleasure of leading a group of researchers (Centre for Orthopaedic & Trauma Research) focused on problems related to the human musculoskeletal system, which often require orthopaedic surgery. The Centre’s research spans molecular biology to biomechanics to clinical research.

I’m specifically focused on biomechanics (the application of mechanics to understand biological phenomena) of the musculoskeletal system, although my interests extend laterally in one direction to computational and numerical methods, including machine and deep learning, then in the opposing direction to orthopaedic clinical decision making. My group within the Centre for Orthopaedic & Trauma Research has facilities in the state-of-the-art Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building and in the out-patient department of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. These complimentary facilities allow my research programs to span from fundamental biomechanics to research bridging into clinical services.

I am fortunate to have received significant support from the major funding bodies in Australia. I previously held a NHMRC R.D Wright Fellow (2017-2021). I am currently an ARC Future Fellow (2023-2027). I have a strong working relationship with partners in industry and Defence through which I fund elements of my ongoing work. I am a Past President of the Australian and New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society (ANZORS) and feature on the Editorial boards of some of the most influential journals in my field.

Research experience and track record

My primary research focus is the biomechanics of orthopaedic disease and injury. I use an exciting combination of biomechanical modelling methods, medial imaging, wearable sensors and patient reported outcome measures to explore these conditions.

I have the following projects available for new students in 2023-2024.

 
Title Description Level Start Special Reqs.
Development of statistical shape and appearance models of human joints

Using state of the art MRI sequences, we aim to characterise tissue composition and shape (validated against histology) to develop a toolkit for modelling human joints.

Note: this project has a dedicated scholarship available to international students

PhD and Honours Semester 1 and 2 None
Mapping surface to structure to high-definition maps of muscle activation patterns We aim to explore methods by which we can register surface morphology with muscle boundaries to improve the spatial accuracy of high-definition EMG. The project will explore clinical and potentially animal models to verify the utility of the approach. PhD Semester 1 and 2 None
Time to recovery in pelvic fracture The project will use wearable sensors in an out-patient gait analysis facility to understand the point at which recovery plateaus. This project sits at the intersection of biomechanics and clinical orthopaedics with medicolegal implications. PhD Semester 1 and 2 None
Pose models for gait analysis Deep learning tools offer to dramatically change how we perform gait analysis; but should we focus on traditional metric such as joint angles or extend gait analysis into the abstractness of the embeddings of neural networks? This project will explore camera technology, pose models and analytical tools to change how we do gait analysis. PhD Semester 1 and 2 None
Does insurance status affect patient reported and gait outcomes for total hip replacement patients in Australia? Patients undergoing total hip replacement in Australia either attend a private hospital under their choice of surgeon or attend a public hospital where the surgeon is assigned. The distinct difference between the two systems lies in the time patients wait for surgery. This project will explore if biomechanical outcomes differ by insurance status.  PhD Semester 1 and 2 None

 

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2017 - ongoing Associate Professor University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2017 Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics University of South Australia
    2012 - 2016 Affiliate Lecturer University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2009 - 2012 Lecturer (Level B) in Biomechanics University of South Australia
    2008 - 2011 Honorary Fellow Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh Hospital Trust
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2017 Fellowship R.D Wright Career Development Fellowship - - -
    2015 Award Benno Nigg Award for Applied Research International Society of Biomechanics (footwear group) - -
    2014 Award Excellence in reviewing for the Journal of Biomechanics - - -
    2013 Award Young Tall Poppy Australian Institute of Policy and Science Australia -
    2012 Award Best Poster Prize - - -
    2011 Award Early Career Researcher International Travel Award University of South Australia - -
    2011 Award Supported Teacher Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching University of South Australia - -
    2009 Award Supported Researcher Award University of South Australia - -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2009 University of Central Lancashire UK PhD
    2003 University of Central Lancashire, Preston United Kingdom BSc (Hons)
  • Research Interests

Competitive research funding

I have held research funding from federal agencies (ARC, NHMRC, Department of Defence), NGOs and private industry in Australia and the UK. In total, my research has received approximately (accounting for exchange rate) $10.3M in external funding.

Current external funding
  Project Investigators Funding agency AU$000
  Next-generation computational models to understand human joints Thewlis ARC (Future Fellowship) 1190
  Investigation of the (a) Impact of placement of visual information in the visual field on a users ability to navigate in the environment and deploy attention; and (b) Impact of Latency on human perception and physical movement Ma-Waytt, Wiedemann
Cook, Thewlis,
Palmer
DST 1150
         

 

I currently have limited teaching due to my Future Fellowship commitments.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Principal Supervisor Development of statistical shape and appearance models of human joints Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Samuel Joshua Staude
    2023 Principal Supervisor Gait Analysis and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Paediatric Lower Limb Conditions Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Matilda Catherine Krywanio
    2023 Principal Supervisor Wearable sensors for analysis of walking function in orthopaedic outpatients. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Heather Rose Badger
    2022 Co-Supervisor The role of acetabular cup medialisation in revision hip arthroplasty. Master of Philosophy (Surgery) Master Part Time Dr David Ngo
    2022 Co-Supervisor Evaluating musculosketal effects in diabetes-related foot disease. Master of Philosophy (Surgery) Master Full Time Dr Kay Yee Hon
    2021 Co-Supervisor How do we use visual information while walking? Implications for the use of virtual
    and augmented reality devices for training and deployment.
    Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Marlon Blencowe
    2021 Principal Supervisor Developing a computer vision-based machine learning pipeline for the production of standard biomechanical outcome data Master of Philosophy (Surgery) Master Part Time Mr Christopher Kurrin Whalley
    2021 Principal Supervisor Biomechanical Predictors of Fatigue in Runners using Inertial Measurement Units Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Grace Eva McConnochie
    2020 Principal Supervisor Development and validation of an integrated gait recognition system with a deep-learning architecture. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Kayne Andrew Duncanson
    2019 Principal Supervisor Functional Outcomes of Suprapatellar Versus Infrapatellar Approach for Intramedullary Nailing of Tibial Shaft Fractures Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Simon Thwaites
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2022 Principal Supervisor In Silico, Ex Vivo, and In Vivo approaches for Modelling Tibial Plateau Fractures Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Kieran James Bennett
    2018 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Gait Biomechanics after Femoral Nailing of Intertrochanteric Fractures Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Arjun Sivakumar
    2018 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Postural alignment and recovery of mobility after acquired brain injury Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Simon James Mills
    2017 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Investigating the biomechanics and genetics of acetabular peri-prosthetic osteolysis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Thomas Michael Grace
    2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Brace for it: assessing lumbar spinal loads for a braced arm-to-thigh lifting and bending technique using a musculoskeletal modelling approach Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Erica Beaucage-Gauvreau
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2015 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Hip replacement biomechnaics University of South Australia - Doctorate Full Time Jasvir Bahl
    2014 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Vibration biomechanics with defence University of South Australia - Doctorate Full Time Thomas Debenedictis
    2014 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Biophysical model of cycling University of South Australia - Doctorate Part Time Jason Bartram
    2014 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Fracture biomechanics University of South Australia - Doctorate Full Time Stuart Millar
    2013 - 2017 External Supervisor Bone biomechanics Flinders University - Doctorate Full Time Bryant Roberts
    2012 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Running biomechanics University of South Australia - Doctorate Full Time Joel Fuller
    2012 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Plantar Heel pain biomechanics University of South Australia - Doctorate Full Time Chris Bishop
    2011 - 2016 Co-Supervisor Flat foot management University of South Australia - Doctorate Part Time Helen Banwell
    2011 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Knee replacement biomechanics University of South Australia - Doctorate Full Time John Arnold
    2010 - 2015 Principal Supervisor Finite Element model of the pelvis University of South Australia - Doctorate Full Time Rami Mohamad Ameer Al-Dirini
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2015 - 2018 President Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society - -
    2014 - 2016 Member Division Research Management Committee University of South Australia -
    2013 - 2015 Member School Research Management Committee University of South Australia -
    2012 - 2015 Secretary Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society - -
    2012 - 2013 Member Research Training Group University of South Australia -
    2011 - ongoing Member Program Advisory Committee University of South Australia -
    2009 - ongoing Member Program Management Team (Human Movement) University of South Australia -
    2009 - 2011 Member School Research Management Committee University of South Australia -
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2005 - ongoing Member International Society of Biomechanics -
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2016 - ongoing Board Member Journal of Biomechanics - -
    2016 - ongoing Board Member Journal of Biomechanics - -
    2014 - ongoing Board Member Gait and Posture - -
    2013 - ongoing Board Member Gait and Posture - -
  • Offices Held

    Date Office Name Institution Country
    2015 - ongoing - Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society Australia
  • Position: Associate Professor
  • Phone: 83137096
  • Email: dominic.thewlis@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, floor 7
  • Org Unit: Surgical Specialities

Connect With Me
External Profiles