Principal Investigators

Dr. Jaclyn B. Caccese, PhD, FACSM

Dr. Caccese is an Associate Professor in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and a faculty member within Ohio State’s Chronic Brain Injury Program. She received her BSE in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania and her MS and PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science from the University of Delaware. Her current research focuses on the neurodevelopmental effects of youth tackle football participation and the assessment of TBIs, repetitive head impacts, and low-level blast exposures in law enforcement officers through research grants supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

@jaclyn_caccese, jaclyn.caccese@osumc.edu, Google Scholar

Dr. James Onate, PhD, AT, ATC, FNATA

Dr. James A. Oñate is Interim Director and Professor in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, as well as a member of the Human Performance Collaborative and the Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute at Ohio State. His research has had a significant impact nationally and internationally in the field of human movement assessment, specifically in addressing factors that influence human performance in physically active populations. As a member of a talented research team at Ohio State, he has helped to lead efforts to prevent primary and secondary injuries in physically active individuals. His focus on assessing the risk of lower extremity injuries has expanded over the years to include several significant interests in multifaceted areas of human performance including concussions, overhead athletes, military sports medicine and law enforcement holistic health. His work has received funding from several different national organizations, such as the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Special Operations Command, which has funded projects related to the care of youth football athletes, high-school athletes, military special operations soldiers and law enforcement officers.

@jimmyonatePhD, onate.2@osu.edu, Google Scholar

Research Scientists

Nathan Edwards, PhD, TSAC-F

Research Scientist

Degrees

PhD Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University

M.S. in Biomechanics, Ball State University
B.A. in Exercise Science, Taylor University

Research Interests

Nathan is interested in the biomechanics of tactical athlete performance, as well as improving the holistic health of first responders. He has worked with local law enforcement to improve testing and evaluation of physical performance and equipment carriage.

Edwards.1614@osu.edu

Postdoctoral Fellows

Enora Le Flao, PhD, MEng

Degrees

Postdoctoral scholar in Bioengineering, Stanford University

PhD in Sports Science, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
M.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, France

Research Interests

Enora’s primary research interest relates to concussions in athletic and law enforcement populations. Through the use of smart mouthguards and other wearable sensors, she investigates how the number and magnitude of head impacts affect brain health, athletic performance, and overall well-being. She aims to better understand how concussions happen and find ways to prevent them.

enora.leflao@osumc.edu

James Harrison

Degrees

Research Interests

james.harrison@osumc.edu

Graduate Students

Thomas (T.J.) Beach, MS, LAT, ATC

T.J. is a PhD student in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences following completion of his M.S. in Advanced Athletic Training at the University of South Carolina in May 2025. His research in the STAIRS lab focuses on concussion prevalence in law enforcement officers, looking at the short-term and long-term effects of a concussion. Through comprehensive concussion evaluation tools validated in military and athletic populations. As a Marine Corps veteran, he aims to understand concussion risk among tactical athletes and to develop prevention measures and appropriate return-to-duty protocols tailored to the occupational demands.

thomas.beach@osumc.edu

Samantha DeAngelo, MS

Sam is a PhD student in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences following the completion of her M.S. in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in May 2025. Her research in the STAIRS Lab focuses on repetitive head impacts and helmet factors across multiple populations, aiming to implement practical changes that improve both sport and occupational safety.

samantha.deangelo@osumc.edu

Braydon Lazzara

lazzara.14@buckeyemail.osu.edu

AJ Jourdan, MS, CSCS

Adrian is a PhD student in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The Ohio State University. His research in the STAIRS Lab focuses on biomechanics and physical performance in tactical populations, with the goal of informing practical, occupation-specific strategies to enhance performance and reduce injury in law enforcement officers and other first responders. His long-term aim is to support safer, more sustainable careers for tactical personnel through evidence-based training and monitoring.

adrian.jourdan@osumc.edu

Kyle Pulvermacher

Carly Smith, PT, DPT

carly.smith@osumc.edu

Anjani Agrawal

agrawal.anjani25@gmail.com

 

Staff

Dylan Comella, BA

Savannah Meinen, BS

 

Undergraduate Students

Joe Adler

Ryan Brown

Durshil Doshi

Leslie Entsuah

Hope Gormley

Anna Khalil

Shadie Mirib

Zach Morris

Nick Shoaf

Jordan Vais

Erin Ward

 

Alumni

Postdoctoral Researchers

Adam Culiver, PT, DPT, SCS

Graduate Students

Gregory Edwards, PT, DPT, OCS, CEEAA