Ryan Quarrington

Dr Ryan Quarrington

Grant-Funded Researcher (B)

Adelaide Medical School

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Dr Ryan Quarrington is a biomechanical engineer at the Adelaide Spinal Research Group and Centre for Orthopaedic and Trauma Research, University of Adelaide. His primary research focus utilises novel experimental and in silico techniques to investigate the mechanisms underlying devastating traumatic injuries, particularly of the brain and spine. He was recently awarded the Dr Dorothea Sandars Churchill Fellowship for 2022 which will enable him to visit the world’s leading injury biomechanics laboratories to learn about their impact models and apparatus. Through his research, Dr Quarrington is committed to contributing towards the worldwide effort to reduce the incidence and impact of preventable injuries.

Projects available for 2023
Research projects are available for students of Medical Sciences & Mechanical Engineering in the categories of: Summer Research Projects, 3rd Yr, Honours/FYP, MPhil, Masters by CW, PhD. All projects are based at Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences Building, North Tce. All projects have flexible start dates, depending on project availability and research needs at the time of commencement. Projects described are suited to 1 year duration; if you are interested in applying for MPhil or PhD, please contact Dr Quarrington to discuss potential projects related to spine, orthopaedics and neurotrauma.

Research Project 1 - Developing a pre-clinical model of closed head traumatic brain injury and a method of mapping 3D brain deformation and motion in vivo.
Project description: 

The aim of this project is to further our understanding of the biomechanics of closed head traumatic brain injury. A large animal (sheep/ovine) model will be used to link injury biomechanics to measures of brain tissue damage. A method to measure brain deformation will be developed using ultrasonic crystals, initially using surrogate brains before use in the live animal TBI model. Data from the surrogate and live animal testing will be used to investigate biomechanical mechanisms of injury. Results from this project are expected to improve understanding of TBI biomechanics and assist future researchers in developing therapeutic interventions. The student will assist in:

  • Apparatus and experimental methods design for a large animal model of TBI.
  • Acquisition and processing of kinematics data from a surrogate head model and live animal model
  • Development of sonomicrometry (ultrasonic crystals) method and trilateration MATLAB code to map brain motion during Injury tests.

Project suitable for: Mechanical Engineering - Summer Research / FYP / MPhil / PhD

Research Project 2 - Dynamic finite element analysis of cervical spine facet mechanics.
Project description: Neck injuries often result in a spinal cord injury, but the mechanisms are not well understood. In this project, we will use LS-Dyna and the GHBMC detailed head-neck finite element model to investigate the mechanics of the cervical spine facet joints during simulated spinal motions. Previous experience with finite element analysis software and programming is required.
Project suitable for: Mechanical Engineering - Summer Research / FYP / MPhil / PhD

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2019 - ongoing Postdoctoral Research Fellow University of Adelaide
    2018 - 2019 Research Engineer University of Adelaide
    2013 - 2013 Research Engineer SA Pathology
    2012 - 2013 Research Engineer University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2012 - 2017 Laboratory Teaching Assistant University of Adelaide, Adelaide

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2023 Fellowship 2022 Dr Dorothea Sanders Churchill Fellowship Churchill Trust Australia 29,021
    2017 Research Award David Winter Young Investigator Award - Shortlisted International Society of Biomechanics - -
    2017 Research Award Medtronic Spinal Research Award Spine Society of Australia Australia -
    2016 Research Award Young Investigator Best Paper Prize Australia & New Zealand Spinal Cord Society Australia -
    2015 Scholarship Dawes Top-up Scholarship RAH Research Foundation Australia -
    2014 Scholarship Research Training Program Australian Federal Government Australia -
    2012 Research Award ARI Prize for Research Impact School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide Australia -
    2011 Scholarship Summer Research Scholarship University of Adelaide Australia -
    2009 Scholarship Tertiary Student Care Trust Scholarship Wyndham Richardson Australia -
    2008 Scholarship Regional Support Science Scholarship Playford Memorial Trust Australia -

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2014 - 2018 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia PhD
    2009 - 2012 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical and Sports) - 1st Class Honours

  • Research Interests
    Biomechanical Engineering Biomechanics Biomedical Engineering Brain injury Orthopaedics Spinal cord Spine Sport Sciences

Lifetime Support Authority Research Grant (2023-24) "Do head and neck posture before head-first impact determine the risk of neck dislocation injury during a motor-vehicle accident?". AU$375,474. (Principal Investigators: Quarrington, Jones, Mongiardini)

Bone Health Foundation Early Career Research Grant (2022) "Are subchondral bone pathologies in the cervical spine associated with facet joint degeneration?". AU$24,910. (Principal Investigators: Quarrington, Jones, Muratovic, Freeman)

Perpetual IMPACT Philanthropy Program Project Grant (2021-2022) "A preclinical model of repeated mTBI for the study of neurodegenerative processes and potential treatments". AU$97,263. (Principal Investigators: Jones, Quarrington)

The Hospital Research Foundation Project Grant (2021-2022) [2020-65-QA25279] "Neck stiffness and range of motion “corridors” for design of an advanced patient simulator mannequin neck". AU$125,542.20. (Principal Investigators: Jones, Robertson, Quarrington, Freeman)

University of Adelaide Medical School Small Equipment Grant (2021) "Machining equipment and 3D printer". AU$6,397. (Principal Investigators: Quarrington, Jones)

University of Adelaide Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences Infrastructure Grant (2021) "Sonomicrometry system for soft tissue motion and deformation measurements". AU$40,405. (Principal Investigators: Jones, Quarrington).

University of Adelaide Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences Infrastructure Grant (2021) "Angular rate sensors for injury biomechanics studies". AU$4,975. (Principal Investigators: Jones, Quarrington).

University of Adelaide Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences Infrastructure Grant (2021) "WACOM high resolution drawing tablet monitor". AU$8,576. (Principal Investigators: Jones, Quarrington, Thewlis).

University of Adelaide Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences Infrastructure Grant (2019) "Peripheral items for Injury Biomechanics “Drop Tower” apparatus" (Principal Investigators: Jones, Quarrington, Freeman).

University of Adelaide Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences Infrastructure Grant (2019) "Materials testing machine input/output board" (Principal Investigators: Jones, Quarrington, Freeman).

University of Adelaide Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences Infrastructure Grant (2019) "Data acquisition chassis and module for custom accelerometer array system" (Principal Investigators: Jones, Quarrington, Turner, Leonard, Corrigan).

ARC Discovery Project (2019-2022) [DP190101209] “Elucidating the mechanics of facet dislocation and fracture in the neck” (Chief Investigators: Jones, Costi, Freeman; Partner Investigators: Cripton; Named Post-doctoral Researcher: Quarrington). 

AOSpine Australia & New Zealand Research Project Grant (2015) “Towards improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying cervical facet fracture and dislocation: quantitative evaluation of facet deflection and loading” (Principal Investigators: Jones, Freeman, Costi). A significant contribution was made towards this successful grant application.

Royal Adelaide Hospital Research Fund, Clinical Project Grant (2015). "Quantitative evaluation of facet deflection and loading in the human cervical spine." (Principal Investigators: Jones, Freeman, Costi). A significant contribution was made towards this successful grant application.

  • Sports Engineering (MECH3112), Lecturer, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide (2022)
  • Sports Engineering II (MECH3107), Course Coordinator & Lecturer, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide (2021)
  • Musculoskeletal Biomechanics & Health (ORT&TRAU3000), Lecturer, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide (2020)
  • Biomechanical Engineering (MECH ENG 4101/7044), Lecturer, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide (2020-2021)
  • Sports Engineering I (MECH2102), Lecturer, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide (2020)
  • Sports Materials (MECH3108), Teaching Assistant, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide (2012-2017) 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 Co-Supervisor Developing a pre-clinical model of closed head traumatic brain injury and a method of mapping 3D brain deformation and motion in vivo. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Charlie Cenin Magarey
    2021 Co-Supervisor Biomechanics of Cervical Spine Trauma Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Parham Foroutan
    2020 Co-Supervisor Biomechanics of Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury in Head-First Impact Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Darcy Thompson-Bagshaw
    2020 Co-Supervisor Cervical Spine Biomechanics with application to a novel Patient Simulator Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Mingyue Liu

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Design and manufacture of an advanced patient simulator mannequin neck The University of Adelaide Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mingyue Liu
    2020 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Biomechanics of subaxial cervical spine injury during head-first impact The University of Adelaide Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Darcy Thompson-Bagshaw
    2019 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Centre of mass of the sheep head The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Manjot Bhathal
    2019 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Creating accurate anatomical coordinate systems for the cervical spine from CT images and fiducial markers University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Nicholas Cunha
    2019 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Cervical spine bone quality and strength The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Medical Sciences Other Full Time Mackenzie Skinner
    2019 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Mechanical properties of spinal dura mater and pericranium The University of Adelaide Doctoral Internship Program (McGill University) Other Full Time Sacha Cavelier
    2018 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Visualisation of spinal facet kinematics using co-registration of CT and motion capture data University of Adelaide Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) Honours Full Time Darcy Thompson-Bagshaw
    2017 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Visualisation of spinal kinematics using co-registration of CT and motion capture data University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Fraser Darcy
    2017 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Measurement of cervical vertebral bone quality and geometry The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Amy Rees
    2016 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Mechanical response of the facets during simulated cervical facet dislocation The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Rachael Killian
    2015 - 2016 Co-Supervisor Passive spine testing apparatus The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Alexander Coventry & Hannah Andrews
    2015 - 2016 Co-Supervisor Mechanical testing of trabecular cores from vertebral bodies of paediatric sheep spines The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Amie vanAntwerpen & Warwick Langman
    2014 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Case note review of cervical spine injuries at the RAH The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Medicine Other Full Time Shabnam Torabiardakani
    2014 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Development of software to measure parameters relating to subaxial cervical facet dislocation on medical images The University of Adelaide Summer Research Project, Mechanical Engineering Other Full Time Alexander Martin

  • Presentation
    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing Developing and Characterising a Porcine Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury Annual Scientific Meeting Spine Society of Australia -
    2021 - ongoing Developing and Characterising a Porcine Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury Florey Postgraduate Research Conference Florey Medical Foundation, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide -
    2020 - ongoing Developing and Characterising a Porcine Survival Model of Thoracic Contusion Spinal Cord Injury South Australian Annual Scientific Meeting Australian Society for Medical Research -
  • Position: Grant-Funded Researcher (B)
  • Phone: 83132854
  • Email: ryan.quarrington@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, floor 7
  • Org Unit: Surgical Specialities
Connect With Me
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