Rate My Professor Peter Fino

Peter Fino, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health & Kinesiology at the University of Utah College of Health, where he serves as director of the Neuromechanics & Applied Locomotion Lab. His research focuses on the biomechanics of balance and neuromechanics to improve mobility during daily life for individuals with neurological dysfunction, particularly those with brain injuries, concussions, and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. Employing wearable inertial sensors, mechanized shoes, virtual reality, and ecologically relevant tasks, his lab investigates stability during walking, turning, dual-tasking, navigating complex environments, and reactive balance recovery after perturbations. This work aims to develop objective metrics for clinical assessments, real-time biofeedback interventions, and rehabilitation strategies that enhance diagnosis, treatment, and functional outcomes.

Fino received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2016 and BSE from Case Western Reserve University in 2011, followed by postdoctoral training in Human Motor Control at Oregon Health & Science University. Prior to his academic career, he worked as an HVAC engineer designing portable self-generating heaters. He joined the University of Utah as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor. His research has garnered significant funding, including a 2026 NIH R01 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study reactive balance impairments after mild traumatic brain injury, Department of Defense support for wearable sensors in concussion monitoring, and the 2023 C-STAR Pilot award for quantifying head motion in vestibular loss using sensors. Key publications include 'How to Select Balance Measures Sensitive to Parkinson's Disease' (Sensors, 2019), 'Required Coefficient of Friction During Turning at Self-Selected Speeds' (Journal of Biomechanics, 2014), 'Inertial Sensor-Based Centripetal Acceleration as a Correlate of Turning' (Gait & Posture, 2020), and 'Head Stabilization During Standing in People with Persisting Post-Concussion Symptoms' (Gait & Posture, 2020). With over 2,800 citations, his contributions influence injury risk prediction in athletes, clinical gait and balance evaluations, and motor rehabilitation. Fino teaches Advanced Biomechanics and Instrumentation in Movement Science, mentors graduate and undergraduate students, and delivers grand rounds, such as in Neurosurgery.